STEPHEN  B,  WEED^S 

cuss  OF  1886;  PKO  THE  JOHNS  HOPKINS  UNIVERSITY 

OF  THE 

UMVERSimY  OF  NHflRM  CAMDIINA 
TIE  WEEKS  COLlLECTroN 

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CB 
P332p 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00032690829 


This  book  must  not 
be  token  from  the 
Librory  building. 


I 


X 


4* 


^ 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 


DEAR  CHILDREN  AND  FRIENDS'. 

I  HAVE  thought  it  might  tend  to  your  advantage,  and  that  of 
your  posterity,  to  give  3'ou  a  short  and  succint  history  of  my  ufe^ 
It  is  not  my  intention  to  extend  it  to  a  great  length,  but  merely  to 
state  some"^  facts  connected  with  it,  whi.h  I  hope,  may  prove  not 
only  satisfactory,  but  beneficial  to  yourselves  and  those  who  are 
to  come  after  you. 

I  was  born  in  the  North  of  Ireland,  County  of  Deny  and  Par- 
ish of  Tamlacht,  on  the  13th  day  of  February,  A.  D.  1756,  of 
poor,  but  respectable  parentage.  My  father  was  a  Farmer  by 
occupation ;  he  died  when  I  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  For 
three  years  before  his  death,  he  was  in  bad  health,^  and  was  not 
able  to  be  of  any  use  to  himself  or  his  family.  After  the  death 
of  my  fither,  I  continued  to  reside  with  my  mother,  and  assist- 
ed her  in  supporting  the  family  until  I  was  in  the  twenty-eighth 
year  of  my  age,  during  which  time  I  learned  the  Weaver's  trade, 
and  worked  at  it  for  about  five  years  :  it  was  of  great  service  to 
me  afterwards,  when  I  commenced  store-keeping,  as  it  enabled 
me  to  judge  con-ectly  of  the  different  kinds  of  common  cloth. 

The  death  of  our  landlord,  and  others  coming  in  and  rais- 
ing the  rents,  prevented  my  mother  from  giving  her  children 
more  than  a  very  limited  education.  This,  together  with  the 
many  difficulties  we  laboured  under  in  Ireland,  induced  a  wish 
on  my  part,  to  try  my  fortune  in  some  other  part  of  the  world. 
I  accordingly,  in  the  28th  year  of  my  age,  obtained  her  consent 
to  come  to  America  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  the  necessary 
means  of  bringing  herself  and  family  to  this  land  of  hberty,  where 
we  would  no  longer  feel  the  oppression  of  haughty  landlords,  and 
where  virtue  and  good  conduct  give  a  passport  to  the  highest 
stations  in  society. 

I  embarked  at  Lairn,  in  the  County  of  Antrim,  on  the  4th  day 
of  June  1783,  and  landed  at  Philadelphia  on  the  3d  day  of  Au- 
gust following.  When  I  left  Ireland,  my  mother  furnished  me 
with  two  suits  of  clothing,  two  dozen  shirts,  and  other  things 
necessary,  so  that  I  would  be  enabled  to  save  all  the  money  that 


2  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

I  might  make  ;  calculating  that  I  would  return  in  two  years  and 
bring  them  to  America,  but  sickness  prevented  the  execution  of 
this  plan.  After  I  landed,  I  remained  in  Philadelphia  ten  days  ; 
I  then  left  my  chest  and  clothing  at  the  house  where  I  boarded, 
and  went  into  the  country  to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Green,  (a  Qua- 
ker) fifteen  miles  from  the  city  ;  the  first  night,  I  recollect,  that 
he  observed  to  me — *'  If  thee  have  as  good  luck  as  thy  country- 
man Robert  Kerr,  thee  will  do  well.  He  rented  a  small  house 
at  an  early  day  in  Philadelphia,  and  worked  at  hard  labour  on 
the  streets,  and  now,  by  the  perseverance  of  himself  and  his 
wife,  he  owns  nearly  a  whole  square  in  the  city."  He  made 
many  other  observations,  which  occur  to  my  mind,  when  I  am 
lying  on  my  bed.  I  told  him,  that  I  came  to  this  country  for  the 
purpose  of  amending  my  condition  in  hfe,  and  that  I  would  try 
to  do  so.  The  remarks  of  Mr.  Green,  together  with  my  own  ob- 
servations, soon  convinced  me  that  the  Americans  were  not  com- 
posed of  Lords  and  Dukes  and  belted  Knights,   (as  Burns  says.) 

The  next  night  I  went  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Green's  son,  and 
undertook  to  clear  out  a  small  piece  of  land  for  him  at  the  end 
of  a  field  ;  and  not  being  acquainted  with  such  work,  I  hurt  my- 
self so  much  the  first  day,  that  I  was  not  able  to  do  any  thing 
the  next.  Mr.  Green  mentioned,  that  the  work  could  be  done  in 
two  or  three  hours,  but  as  I  knew  nothing  about  it,  I  could  take 
no  advantage  of  the  grubs,  and  therefore  I  spent  the  whole  day 
at  it.  From  this  I  went  to  deliver  a  letter  which  I  had  promis- 
ed, and  then  engaged  to  weave  for  sometime  with  a  Mr.  Chafin  ; 
during  the  time  I  was  here,  an  Englishman  (a  Tinker)  came 
along  :  he  asked  me,  what  I  stopped  here  for?  and  told  me  to 
quit  the  place  ;  intimating  some  unfavorable  things  respecting  the 
people  ;  accordingly,  I  left  Chafin's  and  went  to  a  Thomas  Wil- 
son's and  wove  sometime  for  him.  During  that  winter,  I  worked 
at  different  kinds  of  business,  but  principnlly  threshing.  The 
Americans  at  this  time  were  generally  poor,  having  been  strip- 
ped of  almost  eveiy  thing  by  the  Britisli  during  the  Revolution'- 
ary  War,  consequently  the  price  of  labor  was  very  low. 

Not  being  afraid  of  sickness,  I  went  the  next  spring  to  the 
Delaware  River,  where  hands  were  employed  in  embanking. 
There  I  was  attacked  by  the  dumb  ague  (as  it  was  called  in  that 
country)  and  was  sick  for  nearly  twelve  months  ;  in  consequence 
of  which  the  small  pittance  I  had  earned,  and  the  clothing  my 
mother  had  given  me,  had  all  to  go  for  Doctors'  bills  and  board. 
When  I  became  able  to  work  again,  I  had  nothing  left  but  the 
clothes  on  my  back,  one  shirt,  and  a  dollar  in  my  pocket. 

I  bad  boarded  sometime  with  a  Mr.  Shaw,  a  countiyman  of 
mine,  and  when  I  left  his  house,  he  took  two  horses  and  assist- 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON.  O 

ed  me  along  tho  road  for  some  distance.  He  inquired  where  I 
was  going?  I  told  him  I  was  going  to  Canada,  that  my  mother 
had  told  me,  she  had  an  uncle  and  brother  in  that  country,  who 
had  become  rich  ;  and  that  I  would  endeavor  to  find  them  out. 
But  this  was  not  my  real  motive,  I  was  really  afraid  that  nothing 
awaited  me  but  misery  and  poverty,  and  that  news  would  reach 
Ireland  that  I  was  in  a  most  destitute  situation,  and  being  natu- 
rally of  a  proud  spirit,  I  wished  to  go  where  I  would  not  be 
known  by  any  person.  My  health  was  at  this  time  so  bad,  that 
I  was  unable  to  do  nny  thing  for  myself;  but  thanks  to  the  great 
and  might}^  God !  I  had  a  mind  that  enabled  me  to  surmount  all 
difficulties.  When  Mr.  Shaw  left  me,  I  went  off  the  road  into 
the  woods,  sat  down  by  an  oak  tree,  and  gave  vent  to  a  torrent 
of  tears. 

Just  reflect  on  my  situation  at  this  time  ;  a  stranger  in  a  strange 
land,  an  ocean  rolling  between  me  and  every  relation  I  had  on 
earth,  without  a  friend  to  advise  or  protect ;  health  precarious, 
and  funds  exhausted  ;  misfortunes  seemed  to  thicken  around  me, 
and  in  whatever  direction  I  would  turn  my  head,  I  could  see 
nothing  but  misery  staring  me  in  the  face.  My  situation  was 
truly  disconsolate,  but  the  Lord  was  my  strength  and  my  shield, 
and  to  him  I  ought  ever  to  be  thankful  for  strength  of  mind  ca- 
pable of  supporting  me  under  such  severe  trials.  That  night,  I 
went  to  the  house  of  Mr.  John  McCall,  on  the  Susquehanna 
River,  (a  countryman  of  my  own)  he  treated  me  kindly,  and 
would  have  nothing  for  my  lodging,  but  wished  me  to  stay  some 
days  with  him  ;  he  had  seen  me  at  Mr.  Shaw's  and  knew  that  I 
was  sick.  When  I  left  his  house,  he  advised  me  to  go  to  a  Mr. 
James  Patton's  (a  namesake  of  mine)  and  live  with  him  until  I 
would  recover  my  health ;  I  accordingly  went  and  found  him  to 
be  a  very  friendly  man,  but  he  had  a  young  wife  of  whom  I  did 
not  form  so  good  an  opinion. 

At  this  time  I  had  but  one  dollar,  and  as  I  could  not  travel 
long  on  that,  I  went  to  a  canal  that  had  been  commenced  at  the 
Ball  Friar  Ferry  on  the  Susquehanna  River  ;  there  I  engaged  to 
work,  and  got  into  a  mess  of  eight  men — old  soldiers,  and  the 
very  refuse  of  the  army.  It  was  very  disagreeable  to  me  to  as- 
sociate with  such  people,  and  therefore  applied  to  the  employer 
for  a  part  of  the  canal  that  was  clear  of  rocks,  and  not  so  dilfi- 
cult  to  work  ;  I  got  an  Irishman  to  join  me.  We  worked  at  it 
for  three  months  and  boarded  ourselves.  During  the  summer  I 
enjoyed  tolerable  health,  with  the  exception  of  three  weeks,  and 
worked  about  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 

I  was  advised  to  go  to  some  moral  and  orderly  part  of  the 
country ;  but  it  will  appear  from  what  follows,  that  I  had  not 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  COLLINS. 


done  with  misfortune :  yet,  on  my  way  to  the  section  of  country 
I  had  in  view,  1  stopped  at  a  Dutchman's  house  in  York  County, 
Pennsylvania,  and  it  then  being  in  the  winter,  I  engaged  to  work 
for  him  for  three  months  at  a  guinea  per  month.  I  dug  a  well 
for  him  52  feet  in  depth,  in  a  very  short  time.  When  I  first  went 
to  his  house,  I  handed  him  all  the  mone}'"  I  had,  except  three 
dollars.  Calculating  that  he  would  return  the  same  when  I 
wanted  it,  and  also  pay  me  for  my  labor  hke  an  honest  man. 
One  night  when  I  returned  from  work,  he  and  others  were  throw- 
ing dice  and  drinking :  he  kept  apubUc  house  and  would  always 
give  me  spirits  when  I  came  in  from  work.  He  proposed  to  me 
to  join  their  party,  and  that  he  would  be  my  partner,  and  thought 
it  would  be  a  money-making  business  ;  I  refused,  and  told  him 
that  I  knew  nothing  about  gambling.  He  said  it  Avas  not  gam- 
bling, that  his  little  son  could  do  it  as  well  as  a  man.  He  gave 
me  some  more  liquor,  (that  wily  destroyer  of  the  human  race,) 
which  had  the  desired  effect,  and  I  took  my  chance  among  them. 
He  and  I  were  fortunate  for  some  time :  at  last  luck  changed, 
(as  gamblers  say)  and  I  lost  all.  Too  late  I  discovered  that 
they  had  too  sets  of  dice,  and  instead  of  those  we  commenced 
with,  they  had  a  set  of  their  own  which  threw  up  twelve  every 
throw.  I  then  found  out  that  my  partner  had  been  acting  the 
scoundrel,  in  connexion  with  the  others.  It  almost  deranged 
me  to  think,  that  I  had  lost  all  my  hard-earned  wages,  by  the  in- 
fluence of  drink,  and  by  the  persuasion  of  a  villain  in  whom  I  had 
placed  confidence.  I  accused  the  company  of  cheating  me. 
We  all  became  angry,  and  consequently  an  affray  took  place : 
fearing  nothing  in  my  then  distracted  situation,  I  took  up  the 
tongs  and  paid  some  of  them  in  hard  coin  :  the  balance  of  the 
night  I  passed  without  sleep.  When  we  went  out  to  work  the 
next  morning,  the  Dutchman's  son  appeared  disposed  to  amuse 
himself  at  my  expense,  and  I  thought  proper  to  give  him  a  little 
of  the  same  sort  of  change,  and  told  him  to  go  and  tell  his  father 
what  I  had  done. 

I  then  left  the  house  ;  having  the  character  of  a  faithful  labo- 
rer, a  great  many  persons  wished  to  employ  me.  From  this,  I 
went  to  Yorktown,  Pennsylvania,  and  set  into  work  with  an 
honest  Dutchman  (Philip  Kissinger,  a  brick-maker  by  trade) 
and  remained  with  him  during  the  spring  and  summer ;  during 
the  time  I  was  with  Mr.  Kissinger,  two  young  Irishmen  came  to 
the  brickyard  on  their  way  to  a  canal  on  the  Potomac  River ; 
they  urged  me  to  go,  and  said  that  I  could  get  two  dollars  per 
day.  I  was  flattered  with  the  prospect  of  speedy  gain,  and  re- 
quested Mr.  Kissinger  to  let  me  off,  as  I  had  but  about  six  weeks 
to  stay  with  him  ;  he  refused,  as  I  suited  his  business,  but  at  last 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON.  6 

agreed,  on  condition  that  ho  could  get  hn  nds  in  the  place  of  another 
Irishman  and  mj^self ;  he  got  hands  and  let  us  go.  We  got  fixed 
for  the  journey  and  made  a  start.  We  stopped  in  Yorktovvn  to 
take  a  parting  glass  with  our  countiymcn  and  some  others,  and 
they  all  drank  freely ;  it  was  almost  daylight  before  I  could  get 
them  off.  We  had  gone  but  a  few  miles  IVom  town,  when  they 
all  laid  down  to  take  some  sleep  by  the  side  of  the  road ;  I  sat 
there  hke  a  wild  goose  watching,  while  the  Hock  would  be  feed- 
ing. This  put  me  to  thinking.  I  asked  myself,  if  this  was  the 
kind  of  company  I  ought  to  keep  ?  No,  said  I ! — I  will  part  from 
such  people,  and  accordingly  the  next  morning  started  to  the 
Canogege  settlement,  a  rich  section  of  country  about  150  miles 
from  Philadelphia,  and  settled  by  a  moral  and  orderly  people. 

I  had  now  been  in  America  about  three  years,  and  through 
sickness,  misfortune  and  one  imprudent  attempt  at  gambling,  I 
had  very  little  more  than  when  I  landed.  This  single  act  has 
made  me  abhor  gamblers  and  swindlers  all  my  life,  I  consider 
them  no  better  than  pickpockets. 

This  Dutchman  at  the  time  he  cheated  me  at  throwing  the 
dice,  had  a  plantation  which  at  this  time  would  probably  sell 
for  twenty  thousand  dollars.  About  eight  years  after  this,  I 
was  going  down  with  about  two  hundred  head  of  good  cattle,  I 
went  ahead  and  stopped  them  opposite  to  the  honest  Dutch- 
man's, Philip  Kissinger,  at  whose  brickyard  I  had  worked.  I 
asked  him  who  Uved  in  the  Widow  Fryer's  house  ?  He  said 
Coffield.  I  asked  him  what  Coffield  ?  Said  he,  don't  j'ou  know 
the  man  who  made  you  lose  all  your  money  ?  I  then  said,  let 
us  go  and  see  him.  He  had  at  this  time  no  way  of  supporting 
his  wife  and  two  children,  but  by  her  making  straw  hats,  and 
he  selling  them.  When  he  saw  my  cattle,  he  said,  good  God  ! 
How  did  you  get  all  these  cattle  ?  I  answered,  sir,  I  got  them 
after  I  quit  gambling,  and  there  are  plenty  more  where  these 
came  from  ;  but  a  man  must  not  gamble  if  he  wants  to  get  them. 
It  was  very  mortifying  to  the  poor  wretch. 

In  the  Canogege  settlement,  I  made  my  home  at  a  Mr.  Wal- 
ker's, an  excellent  man  and  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  He  was  very  kind,  and  would  always  let  me  have  a 
horse  to  ride  to  preaching  with  himself  and  his  wife.  He  would 
often  laugh  at  me,  and  say,  "Jimmy,  you  will  be  a  rich  man  yet! 
Never  mind  Jimmy,  you  will  be  a  rich  man  yet."  Said  he, 
"  The  grandfather  of  that  young  man,  (alluding  to  a  young  law- 
yer) came  to  this  country  a  very  poor  man ;  he  had  as  much 
money  when  he  landed  as  bought  a  bed  and  a  cow  in  Philadel- 
phia. He  placed  his  clothes  on  the  cow's  back,  and  milked  her 
at  night."     He  also  said,  that  his  own  father,  Mr.  Dickey  and 


b  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON". 

many  others  were  in  the  same  situation  when  they  came  to 
America.  I  first  cleared  ten  acres  of  land  for  Mr.  Walker,  and 
agreed  to  wait  for  the  payment  until  he  could  make  it  out  of  the 
first  crop  of  wheat  which  he  raised  on  the  land.  I  made  my 
home  at  his  house  for  three  years  and  worked  about  in  the  coun- 
tr}'',  at  various  kinds  of  business,  such  as  blowing  rocks,  digging 
wells,  &c. 

The  last  time  that  I  drove  cattle  to  Philadelphia,  I  went 
somewhat  out  of  my  road  to  reach  this  settlement  where  I  had 
hved  for  three  years.  I  had  two  objects  in  view — one  was  to 
see  my  old  friends — another,  was  to  indulge  a  pride  of  my  mind 
which  I  always  possessed.  I  wished  them  to  see  that  I  was  ri- 
sing a  little  in  the  world.  I  staid  three  nights  in  the  settlement, 
and  one  of  them  with  my  old  friend  Mr.  Walker;  and  the  most 
of  the  time  I  was  there,  he  was  in  my  company.  He  and  his 
wife  were  anxious  that  I  should  have  connected  myself  with  their 
family,  but  I  had  commenced  trading  and  it  did  not  suit  me  at 
that  time.  But  to  return  from  this  digression :  for  a  great  portion 
of  the  time,  I  worked  in  this  part  of  the  country — I  got  only 
about  26  cents  per  day :  a  hand  in  the  harvest  field  could  not 
get  more  than  31^  cents  per  day.  This  shows  that  the  price  of 
labor  was  very  low  at  that  time.  I  made  it  a  rule  to  be  always 
employed,  and  for  three  years  w^as  scarcely  ever  seen  any  where 
except  at  my  work,  or  at  Church. 

I  soon  discovered  the  difficulty  of  clothing  myself  decently, 
and  making  money  merely  by  hard  labor  alone  ;  I  would  there- 
fore try  to  make  a  little  besides  when  an  opportunity  offered. 
I  once  bought  one  hundred  bushels  of  rye  from  a  man  who  need- 
ed some  money  and  had  it  distilled,  the  distiller  giving  me  six 
quarts  and  a  pint  for  every  bushel  I  delivered  at  the  mill :  I 
made  something  by  this  speculation.  I  also  bought  a  field  of 
wheat  of  a  man  who  wished  to  move  away;  it  was  covered  with 
snow  when  I  bought  it ;  in  the  spring  it  looked  very  yellow,  and 
Mr.  Walker  would  l;mgh  and  tell  me,  I  was  cheated,  although 
he  knew  belter  at  the  time. 

When  the  wheat  was  ready  to  be  cut,  the  neighbors  and  their 
daughters  came,  and  assisted  me.  They  brought  plenty  of  every 
thing  to  eat,  and  I  had  plenty  of  rye  whiskey,  of  which  I  gave 
them  freely.  The  wheat  was  ripe  two  weeks  sooner  than  any 
in  the  neighborhood,  on  account  of  its  being  sowed  on  slate  land. 
I  had  understood  that  there  was  a  premium  offered  in  Baltimore 
for  the  first  load  of  good  new  flour  that  might  be  delivered  in  that 
market,  a  premium  for  the  second,  and  also  a  premium  for  the 
third,  and  1  was  determined  to  compete  for  one  of  them.  The 
neighbors  were  all  anxious  that  I  should  be  successful,  and  Mr. 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  TATTON.  7 

Dickey  had  bis  mill  put  in  the  best  kind  of  order  by  die  time  my 
wheat  was  read}-.  1  had  it  cleaned  and  gronnd  as  soon  as  I 
possibly  could.  I  hired  a  young  man  to  haul  it,  and  agreed  to 
give  him  something  extra  to  huiTy  him,  but  he  was  so  slow  in 
his  movements,  that  I  lost  the  premium  by  about  one  hour.  The 
neighbors  were  much  mortified  that  I  did  not  get  it,  and  ridi- 
culed the  young  man  ver}^  much,  for  he  could  have  gotten  there 
in  time,  if  he  had  pushed  his  team. 

I  had  worked  hard  and  used  great  economy,  and  all  I  had  at 
the  end  of  the  three  years  that  I  had  lived  in  the  Canogege  set- 
tlement was  two  hundred  dollars.  In  the  mean  time  I  kept  my- 
self decently  clothed,  which  I  alwa3-s  would  do,  if  I  had  nothing 
left.  From  the  long  spell  of  sickness  which  I  had — the  effects 
of  which  I  can  feel  to  this  da}^ — I  was  unable  to  work  constant- 
ly at  hard  labor,  (for  I  could  eat  no  strong  diet)  and  therefore 
concluded  that  I  would  turn  my  attention  to  some  other  business. 
The  first  thing  that  suggested  itself  to  my  mind  was  to  get  three 
or  four  young  men  to  unite  their  small  capitals  with  mine,  pur- 
chase a  boat  load  of  flour,  and  take  it  to  New-Orleans  ;  but  in 
this  I  was  disappointed.  In  the  same  year  that  I  intended  to 
start,  a  difference  took  place  between  the  Spaniards  and  Ken- 
tuckians,  which  prevented  all  trade  from  passing  down  the 
river.  Having  failed  in  this  scheme,  I  (contrary  to  the  advice 
and  wishes  of  all  my  friends)  concluded  to  lay  out  the  httle  mo- 
ney I  had  in  diy  goods,  and  vend  them  over  the  country  as  well 
as  I  could.  The  principal  objection  that  was  urged  against  this 
plan  was,  the  scarcity  of  money.  I  told  them  that  I  could  get 
something  else  that  would  answer  in  the  place  of  money.  About 
this  time  I  wrote  for  my  mother  and  family,  and  mentioned  in 
my  letter  that  I  had  been  unfortunate  from  sickness,  but  that  I 
now  saw  the  way  clear  before  me.  Accordingly,  in  the  month 
of  November  1789,  I  went  to  Lancaster,  Penn.,  and  bought  my 
goods  of  an  old  German  :  he  told  me,  that  he  and  his  wife  had 
both  been  servants,  and  had  served  out  their  time,  and  that  he 
started  in  the  world  on  very  little.  The  old  woman  furnished 
a  piece  of  Russia  Duck,  took  it  to  the  Saddler's  and  had  it  made 
in  the  shape  of  saddle  bags.  The  old  German  wrapped  up  the 
goods  in  the  best  manner.  I  paid  for  the  whole  of  them,  taking 
nothing  on  credit ;  I  was  so  little  acquainted  with  the  nature  of 
trade  that  I  did  not  ask  for  credit ;  neither  did  I  expect  that  it 
would  be  extended  to  me,  as  I  was  poor  and  had  no  friends  to  as- 
sist me.  When  I  was  ready  to  start,  I  placed  the  pack  on  the  back 
of  my  pony  and  drove  her  before  me,  with  my  staff  in  my  hand, 
whistling  and  singing  in  the  highest  spirits  :  I  thought  that  I  was 
a  very  rich  man,  or  was  in  a  fair  way  to  become  so ;  but  misfor- 


b  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

tune  seemed  to  await  me  at  every  turn :  I  had  not  gone  more 
than  three  miles  when  I  met  with  an  awful  defeat  at  the  mill- 
pond  of  a  Mr.  Stoner.  The  road  passed  over  the  end  of  the 
mill  dam,  my  pony  stopped  to  drink,  after  drinking,  instead  of 
keeping  the  road,  she  dashed  into  the  pond,  but  could  not  get 
through ;  she  stuck  fast  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom  of  the  pond, 
got  her  head  upon  a  stump,  and  thus  saved  herself  from  drown- 
ing. Imagine  (if  you  can)  my  distress,  at  seeing  my  whole  for- 
tune on  the  back  of  my  pony  in  the  middle  of  a  mill  pond,  and 
he  stuck  fast  in  the  mud  and  unable  to  get  out ;  it  looked  like  a 
bad  beginning  to  the  mercantile  business  ;  there  was  no  time  to 
be  lost,  so  Mr.  Stoner  procured  some  kind  of  a  craft  for  the 
purpose  of  rescuing  my  pony  and  goods.  He  wished  to  release 
the  pony  and  let  her  go  out  widi  the  pack  on  her  back,  but 
I  said  no!  we  will  save  the  goods  if  the  pony  should  be  lost; 
so  we  took  out  the  pack  of  goods  first,  and  then  the  pony. 
The  goods  had  been  so  carefully  wrapped  up  that  they  receiv- 
ed no  material  injury.  That  night  I  went  to  the  house  of  a 
widow  woman,  one  mile  and  a  half  from  Mr.  Stoner's  at  the 
forks  of  the  Road,  one  leading  to  Anderson's  Ferry,  the  other 
to  Wright's  Ferry  (now  called  Columbia)  on  the  Susquehan- 
na River.  She  furnished  me  with  a  good  room  and  lines  to 
hang  my  wet  goods  upon.  I  sat  up  all  night  dr^^ing  my  goods 
and  cleaning  my  buckles  and  buttons  with  my  brush  and  chalk, 
so  that  they  looked  as  well  as  they  did  at  first. 

Having  put  all  in  good  order,  I  proceeded  on  my  way  ;  I  met 
witli  a  young  Dutchman  who  wished  to  purchase  a  pair  of  silver 
lockets  ;  he  asked  me  the  price  of  them  :  I  fearing  that  they  were 
probably  too  high,  asked  him  the  price  of  such  in  town.  How- 
ever, I  sold  them  to  him  at  13  r)r  14  cents  advance  :  this  was  the 
first  profit  that  I  realized  from  the  sale  of  my  goods. 

The  next  night  I  went  to  the  honest  Dutchman's,  Philip  Kis- 
singer, at  whose  brickyard  I  had  worked,  got  all  my  goods  hung 
upon  lines  in  the  stove-room,  where  he  and  his  wife  slept:  I 
went  to  bed  and  took  a  sound  sleep.  The  next  morning,  Mrs. 
Kissinger  took  a  dozen  of  my  cotton  handkerchiefs  and  sold  ele- 
ven of  them  for  me  at  about  13  cents  advance  on  each,  and  for 
her  trouble  and  kindness,  I  gave  her  the  twefth  and  last  one.  I 
had  now  made  about  $1.43  on  my  handkerchiefs,  which  money 
I  laid  out  for  the  same  sort,  and  got  as  good  a  bargain  as  I  did 
for  the  first. 

I  then  steered  my  course  for  North-Carofina,  fifteen  miles  from 
the  place  I  had  lived ;  I  met  a  young  man  who  had  been  out 
with  S500  worth  of  goods  to  the  same  section  of  country  I  intend- 
ed to  go  to.     I  said,  hie,  hie,  Elick,  sold  all  and  returning,  and 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON.  9 

I  doing  nothing  ?  Yes,  said  he,  it  is  well  T  met  you  here,  I  would 
advise  you  to  sell  y(nir  goods  ;ind  go  t(j  work  ;  there  is  no  money 
in  the  back  country,  and  I  sold  my  goods  to  a  merchant  in  Vir- 
ginia for  the  same  they  cost  me  in  Pliilndeljihia.  I  said  to  him, 
Elick,  did  you  call  at  eveiy  house  and  all  the  cabins  on  the 
road  ?  He  said,  he  did  not:  that  he  only  colled  at  the  best  look- 
ing houses,  where  he  expected  to  find  something.  I  told  him 
that  he  was  wrong,  that  money  was  sometimes  to  be  found  in 
cabins,  when  there  was  none  to  be  lind  nt  fine  houses.  Sir,  said 
I,  you  are  too  finely  dressed,  you  should  have  gone  out  in  your 
common  clothes;  a  man  should  always  be  dressed  to  suit  his  bu- 
siness, and  don't  suppose  that,  show  will  make  money.  The 
people  took  you  for  some  collegian  going  to  College  with  a  load 
of  books.  No  Sir,  said  I,  they  would  laugh  at  me  if  I  were  to  go 
back,  if  I  cannot  get  money,  I  will  try  to  get  something  else,  and 
was  determined  that  I  would  not  be  turned  by  him. 

I  proceeded  on  m}'-  way  and  got  in  company  with  Mr.  James 
INIcIntyre,  of  Morgantown,  Burke  County,  North-Carolina,  near 
Chaml)ersburg,  Pennsylvania.  We  travelled  together,  and 
camped  out  at  night,  as  he  had  a  wagon  loaded  with  goods. 
My  forming  an  acquaintance  with  him,  was  the  cause  of  my 
coming  to  this  part  of  the  country.  I  tbrmed  a  good  opinion  of 
him ;  he  was  kind  and  advised  me  what  to  do.  We  parted  in 
Botetourt  County,  Virginia,  and  I  took  the  road  to  the  head  of 
the  Holston.  After  beating  about  for  some  time  in  that  part  of 
the  country,  I  crossed  the  moimtain  into  the  county  of  Surry ; 
thence,  into  Wilkes,  Burke  and  Buncombe.  To  show  how  slow- 
ly I  got  along  in  my  business,  I  will  inform  you  that  I  travelled 
in  the  section  of  country  now  called  Ashe  County,  for  ten  days, 
and  got  but  three  dollars  in  money.  I  could  have  purchased 
fur  skins,  but  was  not  willing  to  risk  it,  as  I  did  not  know  their 
value.  During  this  trip  I  met  with  poor  success  in  the  sale  of 
my  goods. 

I  will  here  mention  an  incident  which  occurred  to  me  at  Mor- 
gantown ;  it  will  show  you  the  kind  of  stuff  I  was  made  of.  An 
Act  of  Congress  had  been  passed  to  pay  the  Revolutionary  sol- 
diers for  their  services  ;  1  found  that  the  certificates  were  selling 
very  low,  and  1  thought  that  something  could  be  made  by  buy- 
ing them  ;  accordingly  I  purchased  some  of  them,  and  paid  part 
in  goods  and  part  in  money.  When  I  was  going  from  Wilkes  to 
Burke  County,  the  Entiy  Taker  of  Wilkes,  a  Mr.  Fletcher,  re- 
quested me  to  take  an  <£S0  note  of  his,  (as  he  called  it)  and  dis- 
pose of  it  along  with  my  own.  When  1  got  to  Morgantown,  I 
showed  it  and  some  other  notes  to  several  persons  in  the  public 
2 


10  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  COLLINS. 

square,  and  they  all  refused  to  receive  them,  as  the  note  I  had 
gotten  ot"  Fletcher  proved  to  be  a  raised  note  from  £S  to  .£50.  I 
then  stepped  into  Mr.  Intyre's  and  had  scarcely  seated  myself, 
before  a  man  came  in  and  told  me  to  make  my  escape,  that  I  had 
bad  money  and  would  be  taken  up  in  an  hour ;  said  1,  thank  you 
sir,  for  your  information,  but  I  never  went  to  a  place  yet,  where 
1  would  go  out  of  the  back  door  if  the  front  door  was  open,  for 
any  crime  which  I  have  ever  committed.  I  told  him  that  I  would 
go  immediatel}''  to  the  gentlemen  ;  they  were  not  dispersed,  but 
were  talking  together  and  probably  laying  some  plan  to  secure 
me.  I  said,  gentlemen,  I  am  told  that  I  have  bad  money,  if  I 
have,  I  don't  know  it.  I  am  informed  thnt  this  .£80  note  is  raised 
from  8  to  <£S0,  if  so  shew  it  to  me ;  and  that  you  intend  to  put  me 
in  jail :  I  told  them  that  I  hoped  they  would  not  do  that,  that  the 
jail  was  never  made  for  me  ;  you  can  take  my  horse,  my  money 
"and  all  T  have,  until  I  satisfy  you  better.  I  had  become  acquaint- 
ed with  ^Ir.  Wallace  Alexander,  a  lawyer  of  Mecklenburg  Coun- 
ty, North-Carolina,  at  Wilkes  Court,  previous  to  this  time:  he 
was  in  Morgantown  :  I  told  him  that  I  had  gotten  that  note  from 
Fletcher  in  Wilkes  County,  and  that  I  had  no  suspicion  at  the 
time,  that  it  was  not  good.  He  said,  gentlemen,  I  believe  what 
Mr.  Patton  says  ;  he  then  told  me  that  he  would  take  the  note, 
and  put  it  out  of  their  power  to  do  me  any  harm.  I  told  him  he 
could  have  it,  if  he  would  stand  between  me  and  danger,  and  let 
Fletcher  have  the  note  if  he  wanted  it.  Now  you  see,  that  I  pos- 
sessed a  proud,  independent  spirit,  and  was  not  to  be  alarmed 
at  trifles,  when  I  was  conscious  of  my  integrity;  and  remember, 
a  clear  conscience  will  carry  a  person  through  difliculties  when 
every  thing  else  fails.  When  1  returned  to  Wilkes,  I  told  Fletch- 
er that  he  had  done  veiy  wrong  in  giving  me  that  note ;  that  I 
was  not  only  near  getting  into  trouble,  but  was  in  a  fair  way  of 
having  my  character  injured,  as  I  was  a  stranger  in  the  country. 
I  told  him  that  he  could  get  his  note  if  he  would  apply  for  it :  he 
said,  let  it  go. 

I  now  made  preparations  to  return  to  the  North,  which  was  in 
the  spring  of  1790.  On  my  way,  I  bought  200  pounds  of  indigo 
at  Fincastle  in  \'irginia,  and  made  almost  as  much  profit  on  it, 
as  I  had  done  on  my  goods.  I  also  bought  a  few  fur  skins  of 
different  sorts,  to  see  what  each  kind  would  bring  ;  [  shewed  them 
to  eight  or  ten  different  hatters,  told  them  not  to  be  offended  be- 
fore I  opened  them.  This  way  of  proceeding  learned  me  the 
value  of  the  different  kinds  of  fur,  and  was  of  great  service  to 
mc  the  next  year,  and  many  years  afterwards,  when  I  had  a 
store  in  Wilkes.  This  shows  with  what  caution  I  acted  in  my 
trading ;  1  was  unwilling  to  risk  anything,  even  in  the  smallest 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 


11 


matters,  without  some  CHMMainty  of  profit.  During  this  trip,  I 
called  upon  my  old  friend  Mr.  Walker,  with  whom  I  had  lived 
for  three  years,  as  before  mentioned.  I  had  at  that  time  two 
good  horses;  I  took  the  best  en  re  of  them,  :ind  they  were  in  fine 
order.  I  purchased  another  from  Mr.  Walker,  and  went  down 
to  the  Federal  City,  and  the  adjacent  country,  with  an  old  IMr. 
McCall,  who  had  a  small  drove  "of  horses  also.  I  sold  one  horse 
and  swapped  the  other  two  for  an  old  horse,  and  got  the  tliffer- 
ence  in  their  value  :  the  one  that  I  got  was  poor  but  strong. 

I  now  discovered  that  there  was  something  to  be  made  by 
buying  feath(n-s  and  taking  them  up  the  country.  Accordingly, 
I  purchased  some,  made  a  large  cloth  sack  and  filled  it,  and 
loaded  my  horse  and  started.  Vou  see,  children,  nothing  was 
too  humble  for  me  that  was  honest ;  I  was  not  ashamed  of  any 
thing  that  soap  and  Vv^ater  would  wash  out. 

On  my  return  I  bought  an  old  .Jersey  wagon  for  about  S30, 
which  was  not  worth  thirty  shillings,  except  the  iron.  This 
shews  that  a  person  should  not  touch  on  matters  of  which  he  is 
not  a  judge.  It  was  a  bad  time  for  me  to  pay  high  for  my  school- 
ing, as  I  had  but  little  to  go  on ;  however,  I  got  my  wagon  so 
repaired  that  I  got  it  to  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania.  There  I  had 
to  get  it  made  almost  entirely  new,  no  part  of  it  being  worth  any 
thing,  except  the  body  and  some  of  the  irons.  As  I  was  going  to 
the  North  this  trip,  (of  which  I  have  been  speaking)  I  met  two 
young  men  on  the  way  ;  one  of  them  said  to  the  other,  does  not 
that  man  (alluding  to  me)  favor  old  Mrs.  Patton  and  family  who 
came  in  the  vessel  with  us  ?  I  then  made  some  inquiry  about 
them,  and  asked  the  men  if  they  could  name  them  ?  They  soon 
satisfied  me  that  it  was  my  good  mother  and  family  ;  this  was 
the  first  information  I  had  received  of  their  arrival.  The  next 
night  I  arrived  at  the  place  they  were,  and  we  had  a  joyful  meet- 
ing. I  then  went  to  Philadelphia  and  bought  as  many  goods  as 
I  was  able  to  pav  for,  and  S90  wordi  on  a  credit  besides,  which 
I  did  not  ask.  When  I  looked  over  the  bills,  I  discovered  that 
they  would  take  too  much  of  my  money,  and  prevent  me  from 
buying  other  goods  on  which  I  could  make  more  profit,  and  re- 
quested the  merchants  to  take  some  of  them  back,  and  told  them 
my  reasons.  These  merchants  were  Quakers.  One  of  them 
said  to  the  other,  don't  thee  think  James  will  come  back  and  pay 
us  ?  O,  Yes,  said  the  other.  I  thought  he  was  amusing  himself 
with  me  at  the  time.  I  took  the  goods,  and  this  was  the 
commencement  of  a  credit  that  would  afterwards  have  com- 
manded twenty  thousand  dollars  or  more,  if  I  had  asked  it, 
at  that  house  and  others.  I  happened  to  see  a  young  man  in 
Philadelphia  at  this  time,  who  was  going  to  Ireland  and  to  the 


12  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

ver}^  neighborhood  in  which  I  had  hved  in  that  countiy  ;  I  sent  a 
small  amount  of  money  by  him  to  defray  the  expenses  of  my 
brother  Thomas  and  family  to  this  country,  which  he  received 
and  came  in  the  next  summer.  When  he  arrived,  the  whole  of 
the  family  were  in  this  country,  except  one  brother  who  had 
gone  to  the  East-Indies. 

I  now  left  Philadelphia  witli  my  goods,  for  the  State  of  North- 
Carohna;  sold  all  I  could  on  the  road,  and  would  stop  a  day  or 
two  at  a  place  for  that  purpose.  When  I  came  to  North  River, 
Rockingham  County,  Virginia,  I  stopped  at  an  honest  German's 
house  by  the  name  of  Jacob  Singer,  and  staid  there  three  weeks. 
With  what  I  had  gotten  before  and  during  this  time,  I  had  up- 
wards of  three  hundred  dollars  in  cash,  and  also  some  fur  skins 
and  beeswax.  The  fur  skins  and  beeswax  I  left  at  that  place 
until  I  would  return.  I  laid  out  what  money  I  had  on  hands  in 
Staunton,  Augusta  County,  Virginia;  this  was  in  the  fall  of  the 
year ;  I  bought  such  goods  as  I  thought  would  sell  readily  in  the 
country ;  I  got  them  on  very  good  terms,  and  had  at  this  time  a 
pretty  good  assortment.  The  last  purchase  I  thought  would 
help  to  sell  the  first.  I  travelled  on  by  the  way  of  Lexington, 
Pattonsburg,  Fincastle,  Pepper's  Ferry  on  New  River,  to  the 
head  of  the  Holston.  On  my  way  I  frequently  stopped  from 
six  to  twelve  days  at  a  place  ;  w^ould  send  out  w^ord  beforehand, 
that  I  would  be  at  such  places  at  the  time  appointed.  By  this 
means  the  people  would  get  their  trade  ready,  such  as  fur  skins, 
beeswax,  &c.,  and  some  money.  I  sometimes  left  money  with 
men  on  whom  I  could  depend,  to  purchase  fur  skins,  beeswax, 
&c.,  for  me  at  such  prices  ns  I  directed  them  to  give.  This 
yea,r  I  took  in  fifteen  hundred  skins  of  different  sorts,  and  made 
a  handsome  profit  on  them,  having  the  3rear  before  made  myself 
acquainted  with  the  prices  of  all  kinds,  from  a  rabbit  skin  to  an 
otter  skin.  I  left  my  wagon  on  the  south  fork  of  the  Holston  and 
packed  my  goods  on  horseback ;  came  to  Roan's  creek,  thence 
into  Ashe,  Wilkes,  Burke  and  Buncombe  counties. 

I  returned  to  the  North  the  first  of  the  next  summer.  I  left  my 
small  wagon  and  got  a  light  f()ur  horse  wagon.  I  purchased  as 
many  goods  as  I  was  able,  and  returned  the  same  road  that  I 
had  travelled  the  first  two  years,  stopped  at  the  same  places, 
and  sold  double  the  amount  of  goods  that  I  did  the  first  two  years. 
I  drove  my  own  wagon,  until  1  came  to  the  North  River,  Rock- 
ingham County,  Virginia  ;  I  then  hired  a  little  simple  Dutchman 
and  kept  him  until  I  got  to  the  head  of  the  Holston  ;  he  was  so 
much  of  a  fool,  and  withal  so  lazy,  that  I  would  not  have  him 
any  longer.  I  now  met  with  Andrew  Ervvin,  let  him  have  about 
$150  worth  of  goods  to  trade  on,  sent  him  into  the  country  and 


BIOGRArHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON.  13 

directed  him  wliore  to  go,  and  to  meet  me  at  Wilkes  Court-house, 
which  he  did.  He;  transacted  the  business  as  well  as  I  expect- 
ed ;  I  did  not  calculate  on  his  doing  much,  as  he  was  only  nine- 
teen years  of  age,  and  had  little  experience  ;  but  I  ibund  he  was 
honest:  this  has  caused  me  to  overlook  many  errors  of  young 
men,  all  my  life.  I  have  had  a  great  many  in  my  employment 
from  this  time  until  I  tjuit  business ;  for  I  touched  at  every  thing 
that  I  thought  would  be  profitable — gathering  ginseng,  snake 
root,  purchasing  deer  skins,  bear  skins  and  driving  large  num- 
bers of  cattle.  Having  left  my  wagon  at  the  south  fork  of  the 
Holston,  I  hired  a  man  to  assist  me,  and  packed  a  part  of  my 
goods  on  horseback  to  Wilkes  Court-house.  Those  that  I  left 
with  the  man,  at  whose  house  my  w;igon  was,  I  directed  him  to 
sell  during  m}'  absence,  and  collect  all  the  fur  skins,  beeswax, 
&c.,  that  he  could. 

During  this  and  the  preceding  trips,  Iliad  frequently  stopped 
at  the  house  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Jonathan  Tompkins,  in 
the  County  of  Wilkes,  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  ap- 
parentl}^  a  very  pious  man.  He  told  me,  that  his  land  was  un- 
der execution,  and  that  .£40  would  save  it ;  that  his  brother  had 
gone  to  South-Carolina  for  mono}'',  and  would  be  certain  to  get 
it,  but  for  fear  that  he  might  be  detained  by  high  water  or  some 
accident,  wished  me  to  let  him  have  it,  which  I  did.  I  knew  so 
little  of  mankind  at  that  time,  that  I  took  no  obligation  on  him 
for  the  money,  but  merely  made  a  memorandum  of  it  in  my 
pocket  book.  This  single  circumstance  is  sufficient  to  shew  my 
great  want  of  qualification  for  business  at  that  time.  I  then  at- 
tended Burke  Court,  and  on  my  return,  this  same  man  came  to 
where  I  was  stopped  by  high  water,  and  told  me  that  I  would 
lose  my  mone}',  and  he  would  lose  his  land  if  I  did  not  pay  £40 
more.  He  therefore  proposed  to  let  me  have  a  part  of  his  land, 
and  he  would  have  a  good  crop  raised  on  it  for  me,  if  I  would 
pay  the  other  .£40,  to  which  I  agreed,  as  I  intended  to  move  my 
mother  and  family  to  that  part  of  the  country. 

This  summer  I  intended  to  go  to  Philadt^lphia  to  dispose  of 
my  turs.  and  purchase  goods  to  enable  me  to  buy  a  handsome 
drove  of  cattle,  but  finding  it  would  be  too  late  before  I  could  go 
and  return,  I  stopped  at  Staunton,  Augusta  County,  Virginia, 
and  employed  three  hatters  to  work  up  a  part  of  my  fur  into 
hats,  and  paid  them  in  fur  ll)r  their  labor.  I  returned  to  North- 
Carohna  with  my  hats  in  boxes,  packed  upon  horses.  I  pur- 
chased all  the  cattle  I  was  able  to  pay  for,  in  the  counties  of 
Wilkes,  Burke  and  Buncombe,  and  started  for  Philadelphia ; 
stopped  at  Staunton,  Virginia,  and  took  on  the  balance  of  the 
furs  which  I  had  left  there.     I  purchased  in  Philadelphia  as 


14  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTO?f. 

many  goods  as  I  was  able  to  pay  for,  and  returned  to  North- 
Carolina  with  two  wngons,  one  loaded  with  goods,  and  the  other 
with  my  mother  and  family.  We  moved  to  the  piece  of  land 
which  I  got  of  Tompkins,  in  Wilkes  County,  North-Carolina,  fif- 
teen miles  hom  the  Court-house  on  Lewis'  Fork,  near  the  foot 
of  the  Blue  Ridge.  This  was  in  the  winter  of  1792;  at  that 
time  there  was  no  building  of  any  kind  on  the  place ;  but  I  got 
the  assistance  of  the  neighbors  who  were  very  kind,  and  in  two 
weeks  had  a  comfortable  house  a  story  and  a  half  high  to  move 
into.  It  was  built  of  pine  logs  and  covered  with  clapboards. 
I  put  up  my  goods  on  the  second  story  of  the  house.  My  prin- 
cipal reason  for  commencing  business  at  my  mother's,  was  to 
procure  such  things  as  were  necessary  for  the  family.  We  never 
lived  better  in  our  lives,  and  had  plenty  of  every  thing  that  was 
comfortable.  By  this  time  I  had  fully  seen  the  value  of  a  good 
parent  who  strove  so  hard  for  the  comfort  and  the  happiness  of 
her  children. 

The  ensuing  fall  I  moved  my  goods  to  Wilkes  Court-house. 
The  next  year  in  the  fall,  I  moved  m}^  brother  Thomas  and  fam- 
ily to  Wilkes  Count}'-,  and  settled  him  on  the  top  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  ten  miles  from  my  mother's.  I  let  him  have  cattle  and 
horses  to  make  a  beginning  on,  and  he  lived  well  though  at  a 
distance  from  neighbors ;  he  had  but  three  children  and  they 
were  small :  his  wife  was  an  excellent  woman,  I  always  esteem- 
ed her  highly  :  she  was  a  high-minded  honorable  woman,  and 
endeavored  to  instil  pure  principles  into  the  minds  of  her  chil- 
dren. Brother  Thomas  was  a  weakly  man,  but  did  all  he  could 
for  his  family.  I  gave  them  all  the  assistance  in  my  power,  but 
it  could  not  be  expected  that  I  could  do  much  for  them  in  so 
short  a  time  from  my  little  beginning  of  two  hundred  dollars; 
however,  I  put  them  all  in  a  way  to  support  tliemselvcs  and 
raise  their  families  decently.  They  are  now  respectable,  which 
is  well  known  by  those  who  are  acquainted  with  them. 

The  first  year  after  I  moved  my  mother  to  Wilkes  County,  I 
bought  a  small  drove  of  horses  and  took  them  to  the  Federal  City, 
and  from  that  to  Baltimore.  I  also  bought  a  house  aud  lot  in 
Staunton,  Virginia,  from  a  man  who  lived  in  W^ilkes  County, 
North-Carolina,  and  agreed  to  give  him  two  young  negroes  for 
it.  Indeed,  before  I  bought  it,  I  had  sold  it  on  condition  that  I 
would  make  a  right  to  it.  If  a  man  will  help  himself,  he  will 
always  find  friends.  The  merchants  of  Staunton  saw  that  I  was 
making  a  better  use  of  my  small  beginning,  and  some  of  them 
became  my  security  for  a  title,  before  I  had  bought  it  myself  I 
made  something  by  the  speculation.  1  also  bought  some  other 
negroes,  besides  the  two  that  1  paid  for  the  house  and  lot.     The 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTOX.  15 

money  was  all  paid  dov.n  for  the  house  and  lot,  and  I  Intended  to 
lay  it  out  lor  cattle.  You  will  observe  how  carcllil  I  was ;  I 
knew  how  much  I  would  have  to  pay  forncgroes,  and  also  knew 
what  I  could  get  for  the  house  and  lot  before  1  made  the  trade. 

About  two  years  from  the  time  that  I  moved  my  mother  to 
Wilkes  County,  I  was  married  to  your  good  and  great  mother. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  Francis  Kc^ynolds,  a  man  ot  little  pro- 
perty, but  as  honest  and  respectable  as  any  man  in  the  County 
of  Wilkes.  He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  on  the  Yadkin  River 
in  that  county  ;  he  had  twelve  children,  of  course  he  was  not 
able  to  give  her  much  :  all  she  ever  got  did  not  amount  to  more 
than  three  hundred  dollars.  When  we  were  married,  she  was 
in  the  bloom  of  youth  and  very  handsome  ;  amiable  and  sensible. 
There  was  great  disparity  in  our  ages;  she  was  twenty  years 
and  five  months  younger  than  myself.  She  was  ambitious  to 
excel  in  all  the  duties  of  a  wife,  and  assisted  me  greatly  in  my 
business.  She  saw  that  I  was  using  all  the  exertions  in  my  pow- 
er, and  having  confidence  in  my  judgment,  it  gave  an  increased 
impulse  to  her  industry. 

Her  mother  (Mrs.  Iteynolds)  was  a  superior  housekeeper :  it 
was  from  the  management  of  her  domestic  concerns,  the  neatness 
of  her  house,  and  the  nice  arrangement  of  every  thing  about  it, 
that  I  took  a  fancy  to  my  w4fe,  and  I  was  not  disappointed.  She 
was  every  thing  I  expected  and  looked  for — prudent,  industrious 
and  economical,  ready  at  all  times  to  receive  advice — cheerful, 
but  not  ostentatious.  I  gave  it  as  my  opinion,  that  it  would  be 
imprudent  for  myself  and  her  to  appear  at  Church  and  other  pub- 
lic places  in  supei-fluous  dress,  or  to  appear  at  any  time  above 
our  neighbors ;  not  onl}'-  because  I  disliked  vain  show,  but  my 
principal  reason  was,  that  as  we  were  just  starting  in  the  world, 
and  were  dependent  on  the  public  for  our  success,  it  might  have 
an  improper  influence  on  their  minds,  and  excite  prejudices  very 
much  against  our  interest.  My  motto  was,  plainness  and  neat- 
ness ;  and  this  is  as  far  as  any  one  should  go,  however  prosper- 
ous their  circumstances  may  be  :  a  beautiful  exterior  may  dazzle 
the  fancy  for  a  short  time,  but  soUd  worth  depends  entucly  on  a 
well  trained  and  virtuous  mind. 

1  made  it  a  rule  to  consult  my  wife  on  all  weighty  and  impor- 
tant matters  that  I  thought  she  could  comprehend,  and  when  I 
deviated  from  her  opinion,  I  generally  found  that  I  was  in  error. 
I  would  advise  all  married  men  to  consult  their  wives  in  every 
important  undertaking.  If  they  cannot  fully  understand  the 
whole  of  any  matter  that  may  be  presented  to  their  considera- 
tion, they  will  be  certain  to  catch  at  parts,  and  make  some  ob- 
servations that  will  set  their  husbands  to  thinking.     My  opinion 


16  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTOX. 

is,  that  women  have  never  been  allowed  their  just  weight  in  so- 
•ciety:  were  they  permitted  to  use  that  influence  in  societ}' to 
which  I  consider  them  entitled,  they  would  contribute  much  more 
to  the  success  of  business  through  life,  than  is  generally  imagin- 
ed, and  particularly  to  domestic  prosperity  and  happiness. 
During  the  third  year  after  I  had  commenced  trading,  I  took 
Col.  Andrew  Erwin  in,  to  assist  me  in  my  business.  The  se- 
cond year  that  he  was  in  my  employment,  he  married  my  sister. 
About  twelve  months  after  his  mn.rriage,  I  took  him  into  full  con- 
nexion with  me  in  trade,  although  he  had  nothing  at  the-time  ;  I 
had  two  reasons  for  it,  one  was,  on  account  o\  the  high  regard  I 
had  for  my  sister — she  was  a  high-minded  honorable  young  wo- 
man; the  other  was,  that  I  wished  to  encourage  him,  as  he  had 
become  my  connexion.  At  this  time  my  capital  was  greater 
than  his  by  twenty-eight  hundred  dollars,  after  all  I  had  done  for 
my  good  mother  and  family. 

It  gives  me  consolation  at  this  time,  to  think  that  I  did  not 
grasp  all,  and  prevent  others  from  coming  foi-ward,  which  (it  is 
well  known)  I  had  no  disposition  to  do.  I  find  fault  very  much 
with  wealthy  men,  for  not  taking  poor  young  men  by  the  hand, 
and  putting  them  in  a  way  to  do  well,  when  they  find  them  ho- 
nest, trusty  and  capable.  I  had  now  lived  in  Wilkes  Count}-, 
North-Carolina,  twelve  years,  and  my  health  had  become  so 
greatly  impaired,  that  I  took  a  dishke  to  Wilkesborough,  and  re- 
solved to  leave  the  place ;,  accordingly,  I  rented  my  possessions 
to  Waugh  &  Finley  (merchants)  for  seven  years.  We  then 
moved  into  the  county  of  Bunc()m]:>e  in  April  1S07,  and  settled 
on  the  farm  where  my  son  Thomas  now  lives,  three  miles  from 
Asheville,  where  we  lived  for  seven  3'^ears.  We  then  moved 
from  the  farm  to  Asheville,  where  we  Hved  together  thirteen 
years  and  six  months,  before  your  mother  died.  She  had  been 
afflicted  with  a  liver  complaint  for  several  years,  which  finally 
took  her  off.  I  think  I  can  date  her  indisposition  back  to  the 
birth  of  your  sister  Jane  Hardy,  who  died  the  past  winter  in 
Charleston,  South-Carohna:  she  then  took"  cold,  and  was  more 
or  less  indisposed  from  thattinif;  until  her  death.  From  tlie  time 
we  were  married,  until  the  death  of  your  mother,  was  thirty-two 
years  and  ten  months.  We  had  eleven  childien,  of  whom  we 
raised  ten.  At  the  time  we  moved  to  Asheville  my  son  James 
was  11  years  of  age,  my  second  son  John  9,  Franklin  7,  and 
Thomas  5  years  old.  You  can  judge  from  this  that  I  had  to 
contend  with  many  disadvantages  when  I  connnenced  public 
house-keeping. 

Col.  Erwin  and  myself  were  in  partnership  for  twent}-  years, 
and  made  a  complete  dissolution  in  one  day,  to  the  astonishment 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 


17 


of  every  person  of  understanding  :  it  was  effected  in  the  following 
manner.  As  he  was  the  active  partner,  I  told  him  to  make  a 
division  of  the  whole,  accomj)anied  with  a  statement  on  paper, 
and  give  me  my  choice,  which  he  did  ;  and  in  this  \vay  we  came 
to  an  amicable  settlement  at  once. 

Col.  Andrew  Erwin  was  a  man  of  a  clear  head  and  a  good 
lieart,  but  too  credulous  and  too  easily  imposed  upon  by  bad 
men.  I  was  like  the  little  boat  spoken  of  by  Dr.  Franklin,  I 
would  always  keep  near  the  shore  ;  I  would  not  venture  far  out 
to  sea  for  fear  of  accidents,  therefore,  I  always  endeavored  to 
find  out  whether  a  man  was  deserving  of  confidence,  before  I 
trusted  much  in  his  hands. 

I  have  thought  it  unnecessary  to  extend  this  narrative  any 
further,  as  my  principal  object  has  been  to  give  you  some  know- 
ledge of  my  low  beginning  in  the  world,  more  than  any  thing 
else  :  and  my  dear  children,  having  thus  endeavored  to  give  you 
a  short  sketch  of  the  struggles  and  difficulties  which  I  have 
passed  through  in  hfe,  I  can  assure  you  that  I  have  not  done  it  by 
way  of  boasting,  but  quite  the  contrary.  It  would  be  vain  and 
foolish  in  me  to  suppose  that  it  would  be  of  any  advantage  to  me 
as  an  individual,  for  at  my  time  of  life  I  have  no  disposition  to 
indulge  an}-  such  feelings  ;  but  I  have  thought  that  if  it  should 
never  be  of  any  benefit,  it  would  perhaps  afford  satisfaction  to 
some  of  my  posterity  to  know  from  whence  they  sprang.  You 
could  not  reasonably  expect,  that  I  would  be  able  at  my  advanc- 
ed age  (being  now  in  my  84th  year)  to  give  you  an  exact  and 
accurate  account  of  the  various  vicissitudes  of  my  life,  merely 
from  memory.  I  know  that  I  have  omitted  many  things  worthy 
of  notice,  but  I  could  not  from  recollection  alone,  embody  them 
in  a  way  calculated  either  to  please  or  instruct ;  but  imperfect 
as  it  is,  I  hope  it  may  be  profitably  read  by  some  of  you  when  I 
am  no  more.  You  will  see  that  I  had  many  hard  trials  to  en- 
dure, and  difficulties  to  encounter.  You  will  also  observe  how 
much  can  be  accomplished  by  industry  and  frugality.  To  the  ex- 
ercise of  these  virtues  is  mainly  to  be  attributed  the  little  success 
I  have  had  in  life,  for  I  was  possessed  of  very  moderate  qualifi- 
cations for  the  business  in  which  I  was  generally  engaged  ;  but 
I  had  a  firm  mind,  which  by  the  assistance  of  a  kind  providence 
enabled  me  to  surmount  the  many  obstacles  which  were  in  my 
way.  Besides  the  many  hardships  and  difficulties  which  I  have 
before  enumerated,  I  have  met  with  various  personal  misfor- 
tunes :  the  first  was,  the  long  spell  of  sickness  which  I  have 
mentioned,  and  which  was  a  serious  drawback  on  me  at  that 
time.  I  have  met  with  various  accidents  also,  but  the  worst  of 
all  was  at  the  Warm  Springs  where  my  son  John  lives.  I  was 
3 


18  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

giving  some  directions  about  making  a  path  to  a  limestone  spring 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  to  the  house,  when  an  unthough- 
ful  boy  loosed  a  large  rock  from  its  bed,  and  it  rolled  against 
both  my  legs,  fracturing  and  bruising  them  very  much.  I  was 
greatly  injured,  and  in  consequence  of  it  was  confined  to  my 
cabin  for  several  months  :  I  was  then  in  the  SOth  year  of  my  age. 
It  is  however,  a  consolation  to  me  to  think,  that  these  accidents 
all  occurred  when  I  was  engaged  in  some  laudable  business, 
that  I  thought  would  be  of  advantage  to  m}^  children.  But  with 
all  the  trials  and  misfortunes  that  have  come  my  way,  I  never 
desponded  ;  I  always  looked  onwards  and  suffered  nothing  to  ar- 
rest my  progress  ;  if  I  met  with  troubles,  I  consoled  myself  with 
the  reflection,  that  it  was  the  common  lot  of  man,  and  endeavor- 
ed to  profit  by  it  for  the  future.  The  little  success  I  have  had 
in  life,  was  owing  (as  I  before  mentioned)  to  industiy  and  fruga- 
lity, for  I  settled  in  the  upper  part  of  North-Carolina,  at  that 
time  the  poorest  part  of  the  country  I  ever  saw  to  make  property; 
but  I  do  not  entertain  the  same  opinion  now.  Changes  and  im- 
provements have  taken  place,  which  have  convinced  me  that 
there  are  few  sections  of  country  superior  to  the  western  part  of 
North-Carolina.  I  am  thankful  that  the  Almighty  blessed  my 
weak  means  and  enabled  me  to  do  as  much  as  I  have,  and  I 
have  the  consolation  at  this  day  to  think,  that  I  never  made  any 
thing  at  the  expense  of  the  widow  and  the  fatherless.  I  have 
never  sold  the  widow's  cow  or  the  poor  man's  land.  You  know 
my  character,  and  I  hope  that  no  conduct  of  mine  wiU  ever 
cause  you  many  blushes ;  although  I  cannot  that  I  have  been 
guilty  of  many  errors  ;  but  one  thing  I  will  say,  that  when  I  did 
wrong,  I  always  disliked  mj'self  for  it  more,  than  any  other  per- 
son could  have  done,  and  endeavored  to  do  better  for  the  future. 
Let  me  advise  you  to  live  in  a  peaceable  and  friendly  manner 
with  each  other.  Never  encourage  family  quarrels,  but  strive 
against  them.  If  any  difference  should  take  place  among  you, 
suffer  it  not  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  pubHc,  if  you  can 
avoid  it.  If  you  cannot  agree  among  yourselves,  refer  the  mat- 
ter in  dispute  to  snme  of  your  own  connexions,  who  have  no 
partiality,  and  are  equally  interested  in  your  welfare,  and  if 
either  party  should  consider  himself  injured  by  the  decision,  let 
him  abide  by  it  rather  than  expose  himself  and  the  family  :  it  is 
a  disagreeble  thing  for  relations  to  be  at  variance  with  each  other ; 
besides,  it  is  certain  to  injure  their  characters  in  public  estima- 
tion ;  therefore,  be  cautious  never  to  give  cause  of  offence,  family 
differences  are  seldom  adjusted,  and  when  a  breach  is  once 
made,  it  is  scarcely  ever  effectually  closed.  If  any  of  you 
should  not  be  so  successful  and  prosperous  as  the  others,  let  it 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON.  19 

not  give  rise  to  envy  and  dissatisfaction,  if  you  encourage  such 
feelings,  you  will  always  be  unhappN^ ;  and  on  the  other  iiand,  if 
the  exertions  of  any  of  you  should  he  smiled  upon  by  fortune, 
don't  look  down  upon  the  less  fortunate  with  contempt :  in  this 
way,  envy  and  pridi^  will  both  be  avoided  and  peace  and  friend- 
ship insured.  In  my  opinion,  it  shews  a  great  want  of  good 
sense  for  one  person  to  consider  himself  superior  to  another,  be- 
cause he  has  a  httle  property,  particularly  when  he  knows  not 
how  it  was  earned.  All  men  are  not  blessed  with  the  same  ca- 
pacity, or  the  same  opportunities  to  become  rich,  the  situation 
of  some  is  so  fovorable  that  they  appear  to  prosper  without  ex- 
ertion, while  others  gain  nothing  by  the  most  constant  industry. 
Therefore,  a  rich  man  should  be  thankful  and  not  high  minded. 
Let  all  your  intercourse  with  the  world  be  marked  by  honesty 
and  integrity.  If  any  person  should  do  you  an  injury,  don't  reta- 
liate and  do  the  same  to  him ;  this  course  of  conduct  would  serve 
as  an  apology  to  others  to  injure  you,  who  otherwise  would  not 
have  thought  of  it. 

Don't  strive  to  be  the  richest  people  in  the  country,  by  grasp- 
ing at  too  much,  you  may  lose  all.  Therefore,  never  engage  in 
uncertain  speculation.  Wealth  is  generally  the  result  of  pa- 
tience, industry  and  frugality ;  but  some  persons  are  so  eager  to 
become  rich,  that  they  leave  the  old  beaten  path,  that  would 
certainly  lead  to  success,  and  take  bj^-paths  for  a  short  cut.  In 
nine  cases  out  often,  they  become  bewildered  and  never  attain 
their  object ;  and  it  is  seldom  that  they  are  ever  in  as  prosper- 
ous condition  as  when  they  started.  I  will  give  3'ou  an  instance 
to  shew  how  cautious  I  was  in  the  transaction  of  my  business. 

My  partner.  Col.  Erwin,  during  a  trip  to  the  North,  shipped 
some  goods  which  he  had  bought  to  Richmond,  Virginia.  Hav- 
ing heard  that  tobacco  had  taken  a  great  rise,  he  wrote 
to  me  to  purchase  all  that  could  be  procured  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Wilkes  and  Burke,  he  stated  that  it  was  $10  per  cwt., 
and  it  was  thought  would  soon  be  $12.  Before  I  bought  any 
tobacco,  I  tried  to  know  how  many  wagons  I  could  engage  to 
haul  it  off  to  market.  I  procured  five  or  six,  loaded  them  in 
haste  and  started  them ;  they  went  safe  and  he  got  SIO  per  cwt. 
for  it.  As  I  could  not  engage  any  more  wagons,  I  bought  no 
more  tobacco.  He  came  home  and  was  much  displeased  that  I 
had  not  acted  up  to  his  instructions.  He  then  bought  40  hhds., 
and  before  the  tobacco  could  be  taken  to  market,  the  price  fell ; 
he  then  sent  it  to  l^ayctteville  and  stored  it  for  some  time ;  I 
urged  him  to  ao  and  sell  the  toljacco  t()r  whatever  it  would  brinf?, 
as  we  needed  the  money ;  he  then  took  it  to  Boston  and  sold  it 
(as  he  said)  at  or  near  the  first  cost.     Taking  into  view  the  ex- 


20  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

pense  of  wagons,  storage,  shipping,  &c.,  I  do  not  believe  that  we 
got  more  than  half  as  much  as  it  cost  us,  besides  being  deprived 
of  the  use  of  the  money,  which  we  could  have  laid  out  for  cattle 
to  good  advantage,  as  they  were  in  high  demand  at  that  time. 
Now  you  see,  my  children,  this  was  a  bad  speculation ;  had  I 
commenced  in  this  way  my  $200  would  not  have  counted  S2,800 
in  three  years,  and  enabled  me  to  have  done  something  for  my 
family  besides.  Never  touch  at  speculation  unless  you  have  a 
surplus  on  hands  ;  if  you  then  should  be  unsuccessful  you  will 
not  feel  it  so  much.  I  approve  of  speculation  for  men  in  busi- 
ness, but  remember,  in  the  first  trade  I  made  in  the  100  bushels 
of  rye,  the  fur  skins  I  bought,  and  the  house  and  lot,  and  some 
others,  how  much  caution  I  exercised.  I  would  advise  you  to 
have  your  business  confined  at  home  as  much  as  possible.  A 
man  seldom  leaves  home  but  he  loses  something.  The  most 
trusty  person  that  you  can  have  in  your  employment,  can  not 
act  with  that  degree  of  care,  attention  and  judgment  in  your  ab- 
sence, as  he  will  when  you  are  present,  because  he  cannot  take 
the  libert5^  Make  use  of  all  honest  and  honorable  means  of 
gain,  and  God  will  give  the  blessing.  Treat  every  person  with 
kindness  and  respect,  be  plain  and  decent  both  at  home  and 
and  abroad,  and  3'ou  will  have  the  good  opinion  of  your  poor 
relations  and  neighbors.  This  was  the  advice  I  gave  your  good 
mother  when  we  commenced  house-keeping.  I  found  the  good 
effects  of  it.  We  kept  a  good  table,  good  beds,  and  a  good  sta- 
ble, and  when  we  went  to  Church  we  did  not  ride  in  a  fine  car- 
riage, or  appear  in  the  most  stylish  dress.  Children,  you  know 
the  above  to  be  true,  and  the  public  know  it  hkewise.  It  is  true, 
we  had  not  much  to  be  proud  of,  but  enough  to  have  made  us 
vain  and  foolish,  if  we  had  been  so  disposed.  I  flatter  myself, 
that  I  have  been  more  respected  by  both  rich  and  poor,  than  I 
would  have  been,  if  I  had  made  a  show  in  the  world,  as  is  usu- 
ally the  custom  at  this  day. 

Be  charitable  to  your  poor  relations  and  neighbors,  and  as 
God  has  enjoined,  that  we  must  earn  our  bread  by  the  sweat  of 
the  brow,  we  must  be  industrious.  In  my  opinion,  a  man  can- 
not be  a,  good  Christian,  unless  he  be  industrious ;  and  I  know, 
without  industry  he  cannot  be  a  good  citizen.  Do  not  think 
from  what  I  have  said,  that  I  wish  you  to  be  avaricious  and  co- 
vetous, and  worship  wealth  as  an  idol,  and  hoard  it  up  for  your 
children,  who  will  perhaps  make  a  bad  use  of  it.  This  is  one 
extreme,  as  much  to  bo  avoided  as  that  of  indolence  and  stupi- 
dity ;  but  I  wish  you  to  use  all  the  honest  means  necessary  to 
enable  you  to  act  your  parts  well  in  the  world,  and  be  useful  and 
respectable  members  of  society.  Give  your  children  a  good  edu- 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON.  21 

cation,  Impress  upon  their  minds  principles  of  industry  and  mo- 
rality, but  above  all  set  betorc  them  pious  examples  and  encour- 
age them  to  follow  the  same.  I  have  observed  that  children  of 
})ious  pnrents  generally  pass  through  life  with  less  trouble  and 
difficulty,  than  those  brought  up  by  parents  of  immoral  and  dis- 
solute habits.  Children  may  occasionally  deviate  from  the  rules 
prescribed  to  them  by  their  parents  in  early  Ufe,  but  it  is  seldom 
that  first  impressions  are  completely  effaced  from  the  mind,  es- 
pecially those  that  have  been  made  by  the  mother.  To  her 
peculiarly  belongs  the  task  of  training  tlie  infant  mind  and  pro- 
ducing the  first  conceptions  of  right  and  wrong;  this  I  know  by 
experience. 

You  who  are  living  in  a  public  way,  should  have  as  many 
tradesmen  and  others  about  3"ou,  as  will  be  profitable,  and  you 
can  attend  to ;  this  will  shew  the  extent  of  your  business  and  at- 
tract public  attention.  Treat  them  all  with  kindness  and  assist 
them  in  small  matters.  Never  treat  them  coolly  when  they  ask 
favors,  and  if  it  should  not  suit  you  to  comply  with  their  requests, 
deny  them  courteously.  In  this  way  you  will  always  have  their 
good  will,  and  they  will  do  their  duty  with  pleasure.  I  have 
often  given  my  assistance  to  poor  3'oung  men  who  were  begin- 
ning the  world,  but  I  would  notice  particularly,  whether  they 
were  making  a  good  use  of  my  kindness.  As  I  have  passed 
through  life  I  have  often  reflected  on  my  hard  lot,  and  wondered 
that  my  father  had  not  exerted  himself  more  for  the  good  of  his 
children  when  he  had  it  in  his  power,  but  he  was  like  many 
others,  he  did  not  think  properly  until  it  was  too  late.  He  died 
when  his  children  were  all  small.  I  have  often  felt  the  conse- 
quences of  his  neglect,  which  has  stimulated  me  to  do  all  that  I 
could  for  you.  If  you  should  properly  improve  upon  what  I  have 
done,  and  leave  your  children  in  a  more  prosperous  situation 
than  yourselves,  it  will  shew  to  the  world  that  you  did  not  abuse 
the  means  that  were  put  into  your  hands  ;  but  that  you  properly 
appreciated  your  advantages.  Admonish  them  to  pursue  the 
same  course,  shew  them  a  worthy  example  and  they  will  be 
apt  to  follow  it.  I  would  advise  you  to  avoid  litigation  as 
much  as  possible.  There  may  be  instances  of  honest  men  ap- 
pealing to  the  laws  of  their  country  for  redress,  Init  I  think  they 
are  rare  ;  there  is  neither  much  profit  nor  much  honor  attending 
it ;  very  often  each  party  is  a  loser.  When  the  name  of  any 
man  becomes  conspicuous  on  the  Court  docket,  the  public  are 
apt  to  form  an  unfavorable  opinion  of  him ;  it  shews  one  of  two 
things,  either  that  he  is  dishonest,  or  that  he  is  veiy  careless  in 
the  transaction  of  his  business.  When  you  make  a  contract  even 
of  the  most  trifling  nature,  reduce  the  terms  to  tiie  utmost  certain- 


22  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

ty  at  first,  and  j^ou  will  generally  have  little  difficulty  in  your 
dealings.  I  was  once  in  company  with  one  of  our  Superior 
Court  Judges,  when  a  conversation  casually  took  place  in  regard 
lo  myself.  He  remarked,  that  I  had  been  engaged  in  a  great 
deal  of  business  and  had  accomphshed  much  for  my  time ;  I 
asked  him  if  he  had  ever  heard  my  name  in  Court ;  he  said  he 
had  not ;  I  observed  to  him  that  I  had  never  sold  the  widow's 
cow  or  the  poor  man's  land :  he  then  asked  me  if  I  had  ever 
sued  any  one  ?  I  told  him  that  I  had  sued  some  persons,  but 
that  I  always  laid  some  plan  to  avoid  distressing  them :  I  also 
told  him  that  a  Sheriff  had  never  served  a  process  on  me  for 
money,  and  that  no  man  had  ever  to  ask  me  more  than  once 
for  any  thing  I  owed  him.  Now,  this  was  owing  entirely  to  cor- 
rect calculation  before  hand,  and  my  own  exertions  to  carry  my 
plans  into  execution  ;  and  altogether  by  the  means  I  had  within 
myself,  for  I  never  had  but  one  thousand  dollars  from  a  Bank  in 
my  life. 

There  cannot  be  a  stronger  argument  in  favor  of  industry  than 
the  fact,  that  a  man  cannot  be  a  useful  citizen  without  the  means, 
and  without  industry  the  means  cannot  be  procured.  People  in 
moderate  circumstances  can  do  but  little  towards  assisting  their 
fellow-men  in  trouble  and  distress,  or  aiding  in  any  important 
undertaking,  however  much  they  may  desire  it.  But  if  you  should 
follow  the  advice  which  1  have  given,  and  should  consequently 
possess  an  abundance  of  the  good  things  of  this  world,  don't  ima- 
gine that  you  hold  them  clear  of  all  obligation  to  appropriate 
some  portion  to  objects  not  immediately  connected  with  your 
own  personal  interest.  We  are  informed  by  divine  authority, 
that  we  are  nothing  more  than  stewards,  and  are  bound  to  ac- 
count for  the  talents  put  into  our  hands.  The  rich  man  who 
lives  only  for  himself,  does  not  deserve  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
his  fellow-man.  He  should  alwa^-s  be  viewed  with  suspicion. 
He  shews  by  his  conduct  that  he  has  in  some  measure  separated 
himself  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  that  he  has  no  feehngs 
connected  with  their  interest  and  happiness. 

Be  charitable  to  the  poor  :  it  was  never  intended  that  all  men 
should  be  rich,  and  I  have  often  thought,  that  it  was  designed  by 
Providence  that  some  portion  of  the  human  family  should  be  in 
a  destitute  condition,  that  the  wealthy  might  have  opportunities 
of  performing  acts  of  beneficence.  Don't  confer  acts  of  kind- 
ness to  be  seen  of  men  :  pride  often  prompts  persons  to  bestow 
favors  when  their  feelings  dictate  the  contrary,  for  the  purpose 
of  increasing  their  reputation  in  the  public  view.  In  every  case, 
act  with  cheerfulness  and  without  osientation.  One  single  act 
ot  charity,  when  it  accidentally  comes  to  the  knowledge  of  the 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON.  83 

world,  will  add  more  to  your  character  than  a  dozen  performed 
with  a  view  to  public  approbation. 

You  should  exercise  a  jrood  degree  of  judgment  in  determining 
who  are  proper  objects  of  chanty,  and  who  are  not;  there  are 
impostors  in  the  world,  and  on  that  account  many  worthy  per- 
sons have  been  refused  favors  when  they  dcs(>rved  them  :  but 
because  there  are  such,  we  are  not  to  withhold,  with  a  ])arsimo- 
nious  hand,  from  all  who  seek  our  assistance.  We  might  with 
as  much  ])ropriety,  refuse  to  add  anything  to  the  cause  of  reli- 
gion, because  there  are  some  unworthy  members  in  the  Church. 
And  if  we  should  unconsciously  shew  kindness  to  the  undeser\'- 
ing,  we  are  not  to  blame.  Favors  should  not  be  conferred  on 
those,  who  we  believe,  will  make  a  bad  use  of  them  ;  such  as 
spendthrifts,  or  persons  of  dissipated  habits.  It  is  only  furnish- 
ing the  means  to  assist  them  in  their  career  of  vice  and  profliga- 
cy ;  but  there  is  a  class  of  persons,  in  regard  to  whom,  a  course  of 
conduct  should  be  pursued  difterent  iVom  what  is  customary  :  I 
allude  to  those  who  have  indulged  in  intoxication  and  other  vices 
and  who  evince  a  disposition  to  reform.  They  are  generally 
treated  by  the  community  at  large,  and  even  b}''  their  own  con- 
nexions, in  a  cold  and  distant  manner.  They  are  told  that  they 
are  unworthy  of  confidence,  and  that  none  should  be  placed  in 
them.  In  one  word,  the}'^  are  treated  with  the  utmost  disregard 
by  those  who  are  probably  guilty  of  crimes,  which,  in  comparison 
w^ith  those  of  the  unfortunate  drunkard,  are  as  mountains  to  mole- 
hills ;  but  the  world  is  ignorant  of  them  and  they  go  unpunished. 
This  is  not  the  pi'oper  way  to  act  towards  tliem  ;  it  produces  un- 
happiness  and  distress  of  mind,  which  plunges  ihem  deeper  into 
dissipation,  and  hastens  them  on  in  tlic  road  to  destruction.  The 
minds  of  such  persons  are  peculiarly  sensitive  either  to  kind  or 
harsh  treatment,  and  while  they  admire  the  one,  they  will  resent 
the  other.  These  unfortunate  persons  should  be  taken  by  the 
hand  and  encouraged  to  do  well.  They  should  be  kindly  and 
affectionately  advised,  and  when  they  find  your  feelings  enHsted 
in  their  welfare,  they  may  repay  your  kindness  by  a  complete 
change  of  conduct.  This  I  know  in  some  measure  by  myself.  I 
was  often  fond  of  spiriis  when  a  young  man,  and  even  after  I  was 
married,  and  frequently  drank  too  muc-h,  and  never  can  be  too 
thankful  that  I  did  not  become  the  victim  of  intemperance.  It 
was  in  a  good  degree  owing  to  my  natural  strength  of  mind 
and  determined  resolution,  that  I  escaped  ruin  and  destruction  ; 
but  I  must  confess  that  it  was  also  in  a  great  measure  attributa- 
ble to  the  gentle  and  friendly  admonitions  of  your  mother.  She 
did  not  become  irritated  but  acted  with  prudence  and  modera- 
tion.    Had  she  acted  in  a  different  way  (as  many  do)  it  is  more 


24  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

than  probable  that  the  effect  on  me  would  have  been  very  differ- 
ent. She  did  not  fret  my  mind,  but  left  it  free  to  think.  This  is 
the  only  way  to  insure  reformation.  Can  you  expect,  that  a 
man  in  a  passion  will  think  correctly  when  he  is  not  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  faculty  of  reason  V  No  :  the  only  way  to  cause 
them  to  reflect  properly,  is  to  act  towards  them  with  gentleness 
and  friendship. 

I  would  advise  you  to  have  your  names  connected  in  a  great- 
er or  less  degree  with  the  public  institutions  of  the  present  day. 
The  destitute  condition  of  the  human  family  in  distant  parts  of 
the  world,  is  commanding  the  attention  of  philanthropists, 
throughout  every  part  of  our  Avidely  extended  country.  These 
institutions  cannot  be  sustained  without  means,  and  the  means 
cannot  be  procured  without  the  aid  of  individuals.  You  may 
think  that  a  small  amount  from  you  would  have  little  bearing, 
and  on  that  account  refuse  it;  but  if  every  person  were  to  act  in 
the  same  way,  there  would  be  nothing  done  ;  it  is  by  the  connex- 
ion of  individual  means  that  great  objects  are  accomplished. — 
Swannannoa  is  an  insignificant  stream,  but  it  contributes  its  part 
towards  making  the  Mississippi  what  it  has  been  justly  called — 
the  Father  of  waters.  Ever}^  man  should  be  possessed  of  some 
portion  of  public  spirit.  No  day  should  pass  without  the  conso- 
lation of  having  done  some  good  to  our  fellow-men,  and  every 
person  who  is  so  disposed  can  always  discover  some  opportuni- 
ty of  performing  some  praiseworthy  action,  either  of  a  public  or 
private  nature.  What  do  we  live  for,  but  to  improve  ourselves 
and  be  useful  to  others  ?  It  is  a  melancholy  reflection,  that  every 
thing,  from  the  mammoth  down  to  the  most  filthy  reptile  answers 
the  purposes  of  its  creation  ;  but  man — possessed  of  reason  and 
reflection,  and  a  faithful  monitor  within  to  distinguish  right  from 
wrong — pointing  out  the  advantages  arising  from  the  one,  and 
the  unhappy  consequences  resulting  h'om  the  other,  is  it  not 
strange  that  he  will  in  spite  of  all  the  examples  which  are  daily 
set  before  him,  pursue  a  course  of  conduct,  which  is  certain  to 
produce  misery  and  degradation?  It  appears  to  me,  that  if  we 
were  to  consult  nothing  but  our  individual  happiness,  that  we 
would  endeavor  to  abstain  from  all  manner  of  evil.  But  there 
are  other  considerations  which  should  have  a  powerful  influence 
on  all  our  actions  in  life — gratitude  to  the  parents  who  bore  us, 
should  ever  restrain  us  from  committing  any  act  calculated  to 
render  them  unhapp}^.  How  can  children  ever  repay  the  enor- 
mous debt  whicli  they  owe  to  their  parents,  who  watched  over 
them  in  helpless  infancy,  who  administered  to  their  comfort  in 
sickness  and  in  health,  who  have  followed  through  good  and 
through   evil  report,  and  perhaps  deprived   themselves  of  the 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PAITON.  25 

common  necessaries  of  life  to  advance  their  interest?  The  an- 
swer is  easy — by  doing  right.  They  ask  no  pecuniary  rewards 
— they  only  ask  them  to  pursue  that  course  of  conduct,  that  will 
render  themselves  happy  in  this  world,  and  that  which  is  to 
come.  If  children  would  only  reflect  on  the  constant  anxiety  of 
their  parents  for  their  welfare,  they  would  certainly  endeavor 
to  smooth  their  passage  through  life  by  a  virtuous  course  of  con- 
duct.    But  a  parent  only  knows  how  a  parent  feels. 

Don't  be  too  proud  to  ask  advice  when  you  are  in  doubt  on 
any  subject;  but  take  counsel  of  good  men  of  understanding. 
You  will  hnd  that  the  flattering  side  of  a  prospect  always  pre- 
sents itself  first,  and  the  side  on  which  danger  lies  is  dark  and 
silent.  Be  careful  to  examine  both  sid(^s  attentively  before  you 
make  a  decision.  By  following  this  advice,  you  will  avoid  much 
trouble  and  difliculty  through  hfe,  save  your  characters,  and  save 
your  propert3^ 

Be  humane  to  your  servants;  give  them  plenty  of  nourishing 
diet  and  clothing.  This  will  make  them  esteem  you  and  cause 
them  to  do  their  duty  with  cheerfulness.  Don't  keep  a  servant 
or  white  person  about  your  house  who  is  possessed  of  a  bad  dis- 
position, or  inclined  to  mischief;  it  is  hard  to  change  their  minds 
and  danger  attends  their  living  with  you.  But  don't  part  from 
a  good  servant,  or  any  other  person  in  your  employment,  for  a 
small  fault ;  you  may  get  one  in  his  place  that  will  not  suit  you 
so  well.  I  have  had  experience  in  these  matters.  .  I  have  had 
men  living  with  me  from  one  to  ten  years — storekeepers,  labou- 
rers on  the  farm,  wagoners,  blacksmiths,  tanners,  and  others  of 
different  occupations,  and  I  would  not  dismiss  them  for  trifling 
offences. 

I  would  advise  you  to  select  young  men  from  the  middle  rank 
in  life,  of  sober  and  industrious  habits — sons  of  honest  and  res- 
pectable farmers.  These  are  the  best  citizens  in  any  country; 
these  will  consider  themselves,  in  a  great  degree,  dependant  on 
you  for  their  advancement  in  life,  whereas  the  sons  of  wealthy 
parents  will  not  think  themselves  under  the  same  obligation  to 
do  their  duty.  This  is  a  rule  which  I  have  adopted  myself,  and 
generally  found  to  be  correct;  but  if  the  character  and  capacity 
of  a  young  man  were  such  as  I  wished,  I  would  only  employ  him 
for  a  short  time  at  first,  at  low  terms  ;  because,  they  are  not  of 
much  value  until  they  get  some  experience  in  business.  If  I 
then  found  that  they  were  honest,  trusty  and  capable,  I  would 
engage  them  for  a  longer  time,  and  increase  their  wages.  I 
think  it  due  to  Jeremiah  Cleveland,  George  Jones,  and  Wifliam 
R.  Smith,  to  state,  that  they  were  taken  into  my  employment, 
from  the  knowledge  which  I  had  of  their  parents.  These  men 
4 


26  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

were  possessed  of  honesty  and  industry.  They  hved  with  me 
from  nine  to  eleven  years,  and  wlien  either  of  them  was  attend- 
ing to  my  business,  I  was  satisfied  that  all  was  right.  They 
were  obedient  and  faithful:  they  did  well  for  me,  and  they  have 
done  well  for  themselves,  and  are  now  wealthy  and  respectable. 
Many  others  have  lived  willi  me  who  have  done  well ;  but  I 
have  mentioned  these  three,  because  they  were  in  my  employ- 
ment longer  than  any  others. 

I  wish  to  say  a  few  vv^ords  to  the  female  part  oi  my  family: 
in  the  business  in  which  your  mother  and  I  were  engaged,  we 
were  often  obliged  to  have  the  assistance  of  females.  We  some- 
times took  the  daughters  of  ignorant  parents,  who  had  been 
raised  in  extreme  indigence.  The}''  were  frequently  (when  they 
first  came)  in  such  a  condition,  that  theywere  not  fit  to  be  seen 
in  company ;  but  as  soon  as  they  were  decently  clothed,  pride 
would  take  possession  of  their  minds,  and  they  soon  got  above 
their  business;  and  although  they  had  never  known  any  thing 
but  poverty  luid  want,  tliey  became  wasteful  and  extravagant 
as  soon  as  they  got  where  there  was  plenty.  They  were  so  de- 
plorably ignorant,  that  they  had  no  idea  of  economy,  or  the  value 
of  any  thing  about  them;  but  used  ''^very  thing  as  if  there  never 
could  be  an  end  of  it.  Such  people  should  be  avoided.  Employ 
such  as  have  some  smartness  and  capacity  for  business,  and  are 
descended  from  honest  and  industrious  parents.  Such  an  one 
was  Nancy  McElroy,  now  Mrs.  Clayton.  She  lived  with  us  for 
several  years  until  your  mother's  death  ;  she  was  industrious, 
capable,  and  attentive  to  bu-Iness  ;  her  parents  were  honest  and 
respectable.  She  is  now  married  to  a  man  of  excellent  charac- 
ter and  doing  well. 

I  will  soon  close  my  remarks,  and  will  take  the  liberty  of  cau- 
tioning you  most  seriously  against  the  danger  of  speculation, 
when  there  is  any  uncertainty  attending  it.  There  have  been 
instances  of  some  of  you  attem})ting  speculation,  when  it  ap- 
peared almost  certain  that  you  would  realize  some  profit,  but 
how  did  it  turn  out  ?  It  was  attended  not  only  with  direct  pe- 
cuniary loss,  but  still  greater  loss  at  home  in  various  ways.  Dr. 
Franklin  says,  that  the  eye  of  the  Master  is  worth  both  his  hands, 
and  to  employ  men  to  work  for  you  without  attending  to  them,  is 
to  leave  them  your  purse  open.  Besides,  the  advantage  that  a 
man  will  derive  by  staying  at  home  and  attending  to  his  business 
— it  is  a  gratification  to  every  person  of  a  well  regulated  mind 
to  be  with  his  family.  When  I  observe  that  any  man  is  frequent- 
ly from  home,  and  appears  regardless  of  the  manner  in  which 
his  business  is  going  on,  I  come  to  the  conclusion  at  once,  that 
he  is  doing  no  good.     And  it  is  the  same  in  regard  to  women — 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON.  27 

not  that  1  object  to  occasional  visit?,  they  may  be  proper  and 
even  necessary,  sometiin(.^s,  but  not  often.  A  woman  who  is 
much  from  home,  is  apt  to  acquire  the  character  of  a  gossip,  than 
which  there  are  few  more  despicable.  Home  is  the  place  where 
your  ali'ections  and  your  business  should  be  centered,  and  it  it 
should  not  be  so  extensive  as  to  make  you  conspicuous  in  the 
world,  it  will  make  you  useful  and  respectable.  Many  men 
have  reduced  themselves  and  their  families  from  a  high  stnte  ot 
prosperity  to  poverty  and  want,  by  engaging  in  uncertain 
schemes  of  speculation.  They  could  not  exercise  a  little  pa- 
tience and  wait  for  certain  profit,  but  risked  all  to  save  time. — 
Such  men  act  with  about  as  much  sagacity  as  the  boy  who  killed 
the  goose  which  laid  the  golden  eggs.  He  wanted  all  at  once, 
and  for  want  of  proper  consideration  forever  closed  the  door  to 
future  gain.  If  any  of  you  should  be  deceived  by  villains,  (as 
some  of  you  have  been)  don't  be  discouraged,  but  renew  your 
efforts  and  be  more  careful  for  the  future  :  pick  up  courage  and 
go  ahead — -just  think  of  me  and  you  will  never  yield  ;  but  you 
must  be  humble,  don't  try  to  cut  a  figure  in  the  world  until  for- 
tune smiles  on  your  exertions  again,  and  the  world  will  honor 
you  lor  your  energv  and  perseverance. 

Children,  the  little  property  which  I  have  made,  I  have  divi- 
ded amongst  you  to  the  best  of  my  judgment.  When  you  take 
into  view  every  thing  connected  with  it,  I  hope  you  will  not  think 
that  I  have  exercised  any  partiality,  for  I  can  assure  you  that  I 
had  no  such  feeling,  but  made  as  just  a  distribution  as  I  was 
able,  so  as  to  keep  the  principal  property  together  in  Asheville, 
and  prevent  it  front  going  into  the  hands  of  strangers,  for  I  wish 
my  name  to  be  there  when  I  should  be  no  more,  and  therefore 
imposed  many  burdens  on  your  brother  James,  with  which  some 
of  you  are  unacquainted.  When  you  take  into  consideration  my 
bad  state  of  health,  and  the  many  misfortunes  I  have  met  with, 
I  hope  that  you  will  think  that  1  have  acted  with  as  much  justice 
and  impartiahty  as  I  was  capable  of.  Without  a  correct  state- 
ment of  every  thing,  it  would  be  impossible  for  you  to  judge  with 
any  degree  of  accuracy  ;  but  I  could  meet  my  God  and  say  with 
a  clear  conscience,  that  I  intended  nothing  but  justice  to  each 
and  every  one  of  you.  I  hope  you  will  all  be  satisfied,  live  in 
peace,  and  be  an  honour  to  each  other.  You  have  many  advan- 
tages for  which  you  should  be  thankful.  You  are  young,  bless- 
ed with  common  capacities,  and  have  something  to  start  on  in 
the  world  ;  I  had  none  of  these.  Mv  education  was  very  limit- 
ed; I  had  no  friends  to  lend  m.e  a  helping  hand,  and  at  thirty- 
four  years  of  age  had  but  two  hundred  dollars;  besides,  many 
misfortunes  came  in  my  way  which  were  obstacles  to  my  success 


28  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JAMES  PATTON. 

in  life.  I  now  believe,  that  it  was  for  mj'-  good,  that  I  was  unfor- 
tunate in  my  youth  ;  had  I  never  met  with  disappointments,  it  is 
probable  to  me  that  I  would  not  have  effected  as  much  as  I  have  : 
for  they  caused  me  to  think  and  act  with  caution.  Remember 
that  afflictions  are  sent  for  our  good,  and  if  we  were  to  meet  with 
nothing  but  prosperity,  we  would  soon  forget  the  source  from 
whence  we  derive  all  our  comfort  and  happiness. 

I  will  mention  some  other  reasons  which  I  had  for  keeping  the 
Asheville  property  together :  in  the  first  place,  it  was  the  wish 
of  your  good  mother,  who  had  done  every  thing  in  her  power,  to 
assist  you  all,  that  it  should  remain  in  the  hands  of  one  of  the 
children,  and  James  was  the  one  she  named,  as  he  was  the  old- 
est son.  It  was  her  lot  to  die  and  be  buried  in  Asheville  ;  it  is 
my  wish  also  to  lie  by  the  side  of  her  and  my  mother,  in  the 
small  space  of  ground  which  is  laid  off  for  that  purpose.  Ano- 
ther was,  that  when  your  mother  died,  ^-our  two  youngest  sisters 
had  not  received  their  education,  the  youngest  being  at  that  time 
only  twelve  years  ot  age.  Your  brother  James  gratified  my 
wishes  in  giving  them  excellent  opportunities  of  improvement  in 
Salem,  Philadelphia  and  Nashville,  which  was  attended  with 
considerable  expense;  and  his  house,  subsequent  to  that  time, 
was  the  same  to  them  that  it  had  been  before  your  mother's 
death ;  they  w^ere  both  married  there  without  any  cost  or  ex- 
pense. Besides,  it  is  a  pleasant  place  for  the  family  to  meet  to- 
gether and  enjoy  sociality  and  friendship,  and  has  been,  and  is 
at  this  time,  a  place  of  refuge  for  some  of  the  connexion  who 
have  been  unfortunate.  These  considerations  afford  me  a  great 
deal  of  pleasure,  and  at  the  very  moment  1  am  writing  this  sen- 
tence, I  can  look  through  my  window  and  view  the  spot  where 
I  will  soon  repose ;  and  how  happy  would  be  my  transit  from 
this  world  of  toil  and  pain,  if  I  were  certain  you  would  all  do 
well.  Altliough  I  have  often  erred,  still  I  am  pleased  that  God 
has  blessed  my  weak  means,  and  enabled  me  (at  the  advanced 
age  of  84  years)  to  give  you  some  advice  for  your  good.  And 
may  the  God  of  Grace,  cheer  and  support  me  until  the  time  of 
our  separation  on  earth,  and  give  me  a  life  of  blessed  immortality 
beyond  the  grave.  That  you  may  live  in  peace  and  harmony 
with  each  other,  and  so  spend  your  lives  in  this  world,  that  you 
will  be  prepared  for  that  which  is  to  come,  is  the  wish  of  your 
affectionate  father, 

JAMES  PATTON. 

Asheville,  N.  C,  March  1839. 


APPENDIX. 


A  LIST  OF  THE  BROTHERS  AND  SISTERS  OF  JAMES  PATTON,   WHOSE 
NARRATIVE  IS  ANNEXED, 

Thomas  Patton,  his  oldest  brother,  married  Jane  Shaw  in  Ireland, 
came  to  this  country  early,  by  assistance  of  his  brother  JairiPs,  and 
died  in  Coffey  County,  Tennessee,  where  his  widow  is  now  (1844) 
still  livine^.  They  had  issue,  now  llvino^,  Neely  S.  Patton  of  Ten- 
nessee, James  Patton,  jr.,  of  Philadelphia,  John  Patton,  of  Ten- 
nessee, William  Patton,  of  Charleston,  Daniel  Patton  and  Mary 
Anne,  (Searcy)  of  Missouri. 

William  Pattox,  his  second  brother,  lived  and  died  a  bacheloi*. 

James  Pattox,  whose  narrative  is  annexed,  was  the  third  brother, 

John  Patton,  the  fourth  brother,  settledand  died  in  the  Calhoun  set- 
tlement, Abbeville  District,  S.  C. 

Daniel  Patton,  the  fiflh  brother,  died  in  Bedford  County,  Tennes- 
see, leaving  two  children. 

Neely  Patton,  the  sixth  brother,  went  to  the  East-Indies,  in  the  East 
India  Company's  service,  and  afterwards  returned  and  lived  near 
London;  having  a  family. 

Joseph  Patton,  the  seventh  brother,  died  in  Asheville,  N.  C. 

George  Patton,  the  eighth  brother,  died  near  Franklin,  Macon  Coun- 
ty, N.  C,  in  1843,  leaving  several  sons  and  daughters;  one  daugh- 
ter married  to  Col.  Moore  of  Franklin. 

The  following  letter  gives  the  family  of  his  sister, 

Rosanna  Patton,  who  married  a  Mr.  Campbell,  of  Pcnuoylvania. 

Dear  Brother, — You  desired  me  to  send  you  an  account  of  my  chil- 
dren, their  wives,  &c.;  we  unite  in  tendering  our  thanks  to  cousin 
William  Patton  for  his  kind  -.cs-*  in  remembering  us,  may  he  be  blessed 
in  all  things  that  are  lawful  and  right.  1  will  now  commence  giving 
you  an  account,  as  near  as  I  can,  according  to  his  request. 

Elizabeth,  my  eldest  daughter,  is  in  her  o4th  year,  married  to  Alex. 
Young,  their  children's  names,  &c.,  are  John,  (married  to  Ann  M'Leod 
and  they  have  had  four  children,  two  living  and  two  dead,)  Samuel, 
(he  is  dead,)  Alexander,  William,  James,  Thomas,  Isaac  and  Hugh, 
sons  ;    Elizabeth  and  Mary,  daughters. 

James  Patton  Campbell,  my  second,  is  in  his  52d  year — Marga- 
ret Hoover,  his  wife  ;  their  children's  names  are  Samuel,  Susannah, 
Rosy,  Jane,  W^ashington,  Elizabeth,  Archibald,  Angeline,  and  James 
Franklin. 


30  APPENDIX. 

Archibald,  my  3d,  is  in  his  49th  year — Esther  Hutcheson  his  wife ; 
their  chihiren's  names  are  William  Hutcheson,  (W.  H.  is  married,  to 
Margaret  Meals,  daughter  of  Daniel  Meals,  &c.)  Samuel  A.,  Margaret 
Moorhead,  Robert,  Rosy  Jane,  Euphemia,  James  Patton,  George 
Washington,  David  Fowler,  (one  dead  between  Jas.  P.  and  Geo.  W.) 

Barbara,  my  4th,  her  age  is  47,  married  to  Samuel  Bell ;  their  chil- 
dren are  James  Campbell,  Samuel,  Rosy  Ann,  Archibald,  Martha 
Jane,  and  Erwin,  (five  dead,  names  in  part  unknown.) 

Jenny,  my  oth,  her  age  45,  married  to  Fergus  Hutcheson  ;  their 
children  are  William,  Margaret  Jane,  Samuel  Campbell,  Robert,  Rosy 
Ann,  Esther,  Isabella,  (three  dead,  names  unknown.) 

Polly,  my  6th,  her  age  43,  married  to  Robert  Donaldson ;  their 
children  are  Samuel  Campbell,  Eliza  Jane,  Isabella,  Rosy  Ann,  Mar- 
garet, Andrew  Patton,  James  Campbell.  * 

RosANNA,  my  7th  and  last,  her  age  41,  married  to  Andrew  Donald- 
son, Esq.;  their  children  are  Isabella  Sprout,  Rosy  Anne,  Samuel 
Campbell,  Margaret  Jane,  Catherine,  Fergus  Hutcheson,  Henderson, 
John  Bredin. 

Dear  Brothe?-, — When  you  write,  I  wish  you  to  give  some  particu- 
lar account  of  W.  Patton  and  Andrew ;  we  are  more  particularly  ac- 
quainted with  them.  In  particular,  Archibald  my  son,  wishes  to  know 
how  they,  W.  and  A.,  are  employed. 

I  now  tell  you,  I  send  you  a  remembrance  of  me,  a  knot  of  my  hair 
blossoming  for  the  grave  ;  it  is  said  the  hoary  head  is  a  crown  of  glory, 
if  it  be  found  in  the  way  of"  righteousness.     May  mine  so  be  found. 
I  remain  your  affectionate  sister, 

ROSANNA  CAMPBELL. 

Dear  Uncle, — I  and  my  wife  and  children,  send  our  best  wishes  to 
you  and  yours;  may  we  have  a  joyful  prospect  in  life,  and  a  gloi'ious 
immortality  beyond  the  grave.  Your  nephew,  niece,  and  their  chil- 
dren.— Farewell ! 

ARCHIBALD  CAMPBELL. 
James  Patton. 

Family  of  Jane   Patton,  (sister  of  .Tames  Patton,)  living  in  1847  in 
Tennesssee,  who  married  Col.  Andrew  Erwin,  born  in  Wythe 
County,   Va.,   August  8th  1773,   died  in  Bedford  County,  Tenn., 
April  19th  1834. 
Mrs.  Jane  Ekwin,  born  in  Ireland,  May  1770. 

John  P.  Erwin,  their  eldest  son,  born  in  Wilkes  County,  N.  C, 
Jaimary  8th  1795,  was  married  .lune  13th  1815,  to  Fanny  L.  Williams, 
daughter  of  Col.  Joseph  Williams,  of  Surry  County,  N.  C,  and  sister 
of  the  Hon.  John  Williams  formerly  Senator  in  Congress  from  Ten- 
nessee, and  the  Hon.  Lewis  Williams  formerly  Representative  in 
Congress  from  North-Caro  ina.  'J'heir  present  living  descendants  are, 
Frances  Laura  Erwin,  who  was  born  March  2::Jd  1816,  and  mar- 
ried in  April  1834  to  William  J.  Ledyard,  a  merchant  of  Mobile,  Al., 
where  she  now  resides. 


APPENDIX.  31 

Rebecca  Jane  Erwin,  Lorn  in  September  1819,  and  married  in  Ju- 
ly 1S43  to  Francis  Gofi',  Attorney  at  Law.  and  Solicitor  or  States  Attor- 
ney for  one  of  the  Judicial  Districts  of  Tennessee,  resides  at  Win- 
chester. 

Amelia  Erwin,  born  in  1821,  and  maiTied  in  the  summer  of  1838 
to  William  T.  Yeatman — son  of  Thomas  Yeatman  by  his  first  wife 
Miss  Beckwith,  they  reside  m  the  neighborhood  of  Nashville. 

Ellen  Erwin,  aged  about  17  years.  Mary  Erwin,  aged  about  15 
years.     Caroline  Erwin,  aged  about  12  years. 

Ja:mes  Erwix — their  second  son  was  born  October  21st,  1796,  and 
married  to  Ann  Brown  Clay,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay,  Octo- 
ber 21st,  1823,  who  died  in  December,  1835.  Their  present  living 
descendants,  are — 

Henry  Clay  Erwin,  aged  about  17  years.  James  Erwin,  aged 
about  15  years.  Lucretia  Hart  Clay  Erwin,  aged  about  14  years. 
Andrew  Eugene  Erwin,  aged  about  12  years.  Charles  Edward 
Erwin,  aged  about  9  years. 

J.\MES  Erwix,  was  married  a  second  time  in  Februai'y  1843  to  Miss 
Margaret  Johnson — daughter  of  Capt.  Henry  Johnson  and  niece  of  the 
Hon.  Richard  M.  J  ohnson  of  Kentucky.  They  have  a  daughter  named 
Julia  Elizabeth,  born  in  February,  1844. 

Jane  Erwin,  their  eldest  daughter  was  bora  October  22d,  1798,  and 
married  to  Thomas  Yeatman,  a  merchant  and  private  banker  of  Nash- 
ville in  September,  1817.  Mr.  Yeatman  died  on  the  12th  June  1833, 
leaving  by  this  marriage  the  following  descendants,  viz  : 

James  Erwin  Yeatman,  born  August  27th,  1818  and  raamed  in  the 
fall  of  1838,  to  Miss  Charlotte  Angelica  Thompson  of  Baltimore — 
he  now  resides  in  St.  Louis. 

Emma  Yeatman,  born  in  July  1822,  and  married  in  January  1842, 
to  Col.  Thomson  T.  Player  of  South-Carolina,  a  widower,  and  fonner 
son-in-law  of  Gen.  Wade  Hampton. 

Thomas  Yeatma^n,  born  July  20th,  1827. 
Henry  Clay  Yeatman,  aged  about  13  years. 

Mrs.  Jane  Yeatman,  was  married  a  second  time  in  November  1835 
to  the  Hon.  John  Bell,  then  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
in  Congress — and  since.  Secretary  at  War,  by  whom  she  had  2  chil- 
di'en,  (viz:) 

Jane  Erwin  Bell,  aged  about  7  yeai-s.  Ann  Loraine  Bell,  aged 
about  4  years. 

Andrew  Erwin,  Junr.,  third  son,  was  born  May  27th,  1800,  and  mar- 
ried October  12th,  1820  to  Miss  Elvira  Julia  Searcy  daughter  of 
Major  Robert  Searcy  of  Nashvillo,  who  died  in  August  1820.  Major 
Searcy  was  an  Aid-de-camp  of  Gen.  Jackson,  in  the  Creek  War; 
Clerk  of  the  Federal  Court  at  Nashville,  and  President  of  the  Branch 
of  the  old  State  Bank  at  Nashville.  Elvira  Julia  Erwin,  the  wife  of 
Andrew  Erwin,  died  at  Nashville  July  6th  1838.  They  have  the  fol- 
lowing descendants  now  livino-,  viz: 

Frances  Ann  Erwin,  born  F^duuary  23d  1823,  and  married  in  Sep- 
tember 2d,  1841,  to  William  H.  Pope,  youngest  son  of  Col.  Leroy 
Pope  of  Huntsville,  Alabama.  Elizabeth  Jane  Erwin,  born  March 
12th,  1825.     Henry  Hitchcock  Erwin,  born  May  13th,  1827.     Thomas 


32 


APPEXDIX. 


Yeatman  Ervvin,  born  December  21st,  1829.  James  Porter  Erwin, 
born  July  27th  1832. 

Andrew  Erwin,  had  two  other  sons,  and  a  <i»ughter  that  died,  as 
follows : 

His  eldest  son  Robert.  S.  Erwin,  born  September  9th,  1821,  died 
-December  7th,  1842. 

His  yomigest  son  Andrew  Patton  Erwin,  born  August  22d,  1836, 
died  July  19th,  1837. 

His  youngest  daughter  Elvira  Julia  Erwin,  born  June  25th,  1838, 
died  June  7th,  1839. 

Anne  Erwin,  second  daughter  was  born  December  30th,  1803,  and 
married  on  the  11th  October,  1821,  to  Henry  Hitchcock,  son  of  Judge 
Samuel  Hitchcock,  and  grandson  of  Gen.  Ethan  Allen  of  Vermont  of 
Revolutionary  notoriety.  Mr.  Hitchcock  was  at  the  time  of  his  7Tiar- 
riage  Attorney  General  of  Alabama,  and  afterwards  one  of  the  Judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  that  State.  He  died  of  Yellow  fever  in 
Mobile  in  August  1839.     Their  descendants  now  living,  are — 

Caroline  Lorraine  Hitchcock,  aged  about  19  years.  Henry  Hitch- 
cock, aged  about  15  years.  Andrew  Erwin  Hitchcock,  aged  about  13 
years.     Ethan  Edward  Hitchcock,  aged  about  9  years. 

George  Washington  Erwin,  fourth  son  was  born  June  16th,  1805, 
and  has  never  married.  He  now  resides  in  Barren  County  Kentucky, 
and  is  manufacturing  salt. 

Isaac  Hkvlin  Erwiiv,  fifth  son,  was  born  May  1st,  1807,  and  mar- 
ried March  2d,  1831,  to  Miss  Rebecca  James  of  Clarke  County,  Ala- 
bama. He  died  in  Clarke  County  Alabama  in  October,  1843 — leaving 
the  following  living  descendants. 

Mary  Jane  Erwin,  aged  about  12  years.  Thomas  James  Erwin, 
aged  about  10  years.  Anna  Maria  Erwin,  aged  about  8  years.  Char- 
lotte Erwin,  aged  about  5  years.  Emma  Elvira  Erwin,  aged  about  3 
years. 

Mary  Ann  Erwin,  the  youngest  daughter  was  born  9th  September, 
1810,  and  married  to  James  Porter,  brother  of  Judge  Alexander 
Porter,  former  Senator  in  Congress  from  Louisiana,  on  the  20th  Sep- 
tember, 1832.  She  died  at  Smithland,  Kentucky  on  her  way  from 
Louisiana  to  Tennessee,  in  July  1836,  and  her  only  child  a  daughter 
about  10  months  old,  died  about  a  week  after  her.  Mr.  Porter  has 
since  married  a  Miss  Walton. 

The  great  grand-children  of  iMrs.  Jane  Erwin,  now  living,  are — 

Francis  L.  Jjodyard,  aged  about  8  years.  John  E.  Lcdyard,  aged 
about  4  years.  William  Ledyjird,  aged  about  6  months.  Thomas 
Yeatman,  son  of  William  T.,  aged  about  5  years.  William  Eugene 
Yeatman,  aged  about  2  years.  .Tames  Alexander  Yeatman,  son  of 
James  E.  Yeatman,  aged  about  5  years.  Charlotte  Angelica  Yeat- 
man, aged  about  2  years.  *  Jane  l?ell  Yeatman,  aged  about  6  months. 
Thomas  Y.  Player,  son  of  T.  T.  Player,  aged  about  18  months. 

Recapitulation  ot  the  living  descendants  of  Mrs.  Jane  Erwin. 

4  sons  2  daughters — Total  G.  6.  grand-children,  descendants  of 
John  P.  Erwin.  6  do,  do.  of  James  Erwin.  6  do.  do.  of 
Mrs.  Jane  Bell.  5  do.  do.  of  Andrew  Erwin.  4  do.  do.  of 
Mrs.  Anne  Hitchcock.     5     do.     do.     of  Isaac  H.  Erwin. — Total  32. 


APPENDIX.  33 

3  great  grand-children,  descendants  of  VVm.  J.  Lcdyard.  2  do.  do. 
of  Win.  T.  Yeatman.  3  do.  do.  of  .Tamos  E.  Yeatman.  1  do. 
do.     of  T.   T.  Playi^^Total  0.     Grand  Total  47. 

There  are  also  3  Im^  daughters-in-law  ;  and  2  living  sons-in-law; 
and  5  living  grand  sons-in-law ;  and  1  living  grand  daughters-in-law. 
Total  11. 
♦  .July  Cth,  1844.  A.  ERWIN. 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter  fi-om  and  old  old  gentleman  named 
John  Patton,  a  resident  then  of  London,  who  had  wiitten  to  William 
Patton,  of  Charleston,  to  inquire  after  a  son  of  his  ;  and  of  whom  Wil- 
liam Patton  made  some  in(juiry,  as  to  his  uncle  Cornelius ;  gives  the 
family  geneaology,  which  may  be  amusing  to  those  of  the  same  name. 

"Dalston  Rise,  near  London,  9t7i  July  1828. 

#  #  *  #  «  Ag  tjj  tijg  Pattons,  there  are  others — as  Peyton,  Payton, 
an  Admiral  Peyton,  witliout  arms.  Patin,  the  Guy  Patin,  famous 
French  Physician.  Patten,  the  Lancashire  and  Lincolnshire  family, 
one  many  years  ago  Lord  of  the  Manor  of  Stoke,  Newington,  and  re- 
paired the  Church  at  his  own  expense.  One  within  these  few  years 
sat  in  Parhament,  and  afterwards  as  Patten  Bold.  A  daughter  since 
his  decease,  married  to  an  Italian  Prince,  but  not  our  family  arms, 
motto  diiferent.  The  Pattons  or  Patons  are  originally  Scotch,  found 
wherever  they  are  ;  there  are  two  families — arms  the  same,  one  with 
the  addition  of  a  sword,  motto  to  the  same  effect,  one  '  virtute  adepta,' 
the  other 'virtute  Laudando;'  one  from  Kinaldy  or  Kincaldie,  the 
other  Ferrochie — crests,  a  sparrow  hawk  perching  proper,  with  wings 
expanded." — Pout's  Manuscript,  or  Nesbit,  41  &  247. 

"  The  Pattons  have  been  extended  in  my  time,  one  was  with  Nelson 
in  the  battle  of  the  Nile,  afterwards  an  Admiral,  and  Lord  of  the  Ad- 
miralty. I  have  not  met  or  heard  of  your  uncle  Cornelius.  I  forgot 
to  say,  reading  that  the  Dukes  of  Devonshire,  were  from  the  daughter 
of  John  Patton  of  Suffolk,  Lord  of  Cavendish  ;  and  Roger  de  Ga.rnon, 
who  came  over  with  William  the  Conqueror.  I  referred  to  the  history 
of  the  peerage,  and  the  spelling  found  different  in  the  body  and  index;  a 
reference  to  manuscript  can  only  clear  that  up.  His  Lordship  was  a 
Patton  or  Patten.  It  would  bo  desirable  to  see  the  arms  of  Cavendish 
at  the  time." 


The  relative  who  attended  to  the  printing  of  this  Narrative,  (which 
is  intended  only  for  the  fiimily  and  a  few  friends)  was  desirous  of  add- 
ing a  more  extended  list  of  each  brother  and  sister's  family,  and  wrote 
to  several  persons  to  procure  it.  Having  failed  to  obtain  more  than 
the  two  which  are  annexed,  he  only  gave  a  short  account  of  the  others, 
fearing  he  might  not  be  accurate,  if  he  attempted  more. 

The  remains  of  James  Patton  are  interred  in  the  beautiful  burial 
ground  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  village  of  Asheville,  N.  C, 
which  gi-ound  he  had  presented  to  the  Church  ;  and  in  the  spot  he  had 


34  APPENDIX. 

long  before  pointed  out,  which  is  marked  with  a  plain  marble  obelisk, 
bearing  this  inscription : 

"  In  memory  of  James  Patton,  born  13th  ^^^  1756,  in  County  Der- 
ry,  Ireland;  died  at  Asheville,  N.  C,  9th  September  1845,  in  the  90th 
year  of  his  age.  He  was  the  fovmder  of  his  family  in  America  ;  an  ho- 
nest and  persevering  man,  accumulating  much  property  without  grind- 
ing the  poor — prudently  assisting  his  poor  relations,  as  well  as  bringiif^ 
forward  in  the  world  many  deserving  young  men." 


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